As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 21, 2025.
Registration No. 333-[●]
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands | 6770 | 99-4250815 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100
Las Vegas, Nevada 89144
Tel:
(702) 781-4313
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Harry L. You
Executive Chairman and Interim Chief Financial Officer
1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100
Las Vegas, Nevada 89144
Tel: (702) 781-4313
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to: | ||||
Joel L. Rubinstein White & Case LLP 1221 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 Tel: (212) 819-8200 |
Cynthia Anandajayasekeram Ogier (Cayman) LLP 89 Nexus Way, Camana Bay, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands KY1-9009 Tel: (345) 949-9876 |
Mitchell S. Nussbaum David J. Levine Loeb & Loeb LLP 345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154 Tel: (212) 407-4000 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. ☐
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462I under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
Emerging growth company | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 21, 2025
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
$250,000,000
Berto Acquisition Corp.
25,000,000 Units
Berto Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company whose business purpose is to effect a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We will have 24 months from the closing of this offering to complete our initial business combination (the “completion window”). We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination with us. However, members of our management team had been actively in discussions with potential business combination partners in their capacity as officers and directors of Coliseum Acquisition Corp. (which consummated its initial business combination in December 2024) (“Coliseum”), dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. (which entered into a non-binding letter of intent for a potential business combination on February 26, 2025) (“dMY Squared”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI (which liquidated in April 2023 without completing a business combination) (“dMY VI”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV (which consummated its initial business combination in December 2021) (“dMY IV”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. III (which consummated its initial business combination in October 2021) (“dMY III”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. II (which consummated its initial business combination in April 2021) (“dMY II”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. (which consummated its initial business combination in December 2020) (“dMY I”, and together with dMY II, dMY III, dMY IV, dMY VI, and dMY Squared, “dMY SPACs”), and GTY Technology Holdings Inc. (which consummated its initial business combination in February 2019) (“GTY”), and we may pursue business combination partners that had previously been in discussions with the management teams of the dMY SPACs, GTY, and Coliseum. Past performance by our management team, including with respect to each of GTY, Coliseum, and the dMY SPACs is not a guarantee of success with respect to our search for a business combination target.
This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 per unit and consists of one ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant, when exercisable, entitles the holder thereof to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination (the “exercise price”), subject to adjustment as described herein. Only whole warrants are exercisable. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. The warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination and will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or our liquidation, as described herein. Subject to the terms and conditions described in this prospectus, we may call the warrants for redemption once the warrants become exercisable. The underwriters have a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to 3,750,000 additional units to cover over-allotments, if any.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their ordinary shares that were sold as part of the units in this offering, which we refer to collectively as our public shares, at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law and limitations and on the conditions described herein, at the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination in connection with a general meeting called to approve the initial business combination or without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer, or (ii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (“articles”) not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity including any extension of the completion window. As further described in this prospectus, our articles provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), will be restricted from redeeming its public shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the public shares sold in this offering, without our prior consent. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against an initial business combination, or whether they do not vote or abstain from voting on the initial business combination, and regardless of whether they hold public shares on the record date established in connection with our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds, redeem 100% of the public shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned thereon (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will constitute full and complete payment for the public shares and completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation or other distributions, if any), subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and subject to the other requirements of applicable law.
Our sponsor, Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company formed for the purpose of investing in us, and the underwriters in this offering have committed to purchase an aggregate of 7,750,000 private placement warrants (including if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), each exercisable to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $7,750,000, in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in this prospectus. Of the 7,750,000 private placement warrants, our sponsor has agreed to purchase 4,000,000 private placement warrants and the underwriters have agreed to purchase 3,750,000 private placement warrants.
In November 2024, our sponsor and sponsor affiliates (as defined below) paid $23,956.52 for an aggregate of 6,887,500 ordinary shares (up to 937,500 of which will be surrendered to us for no consideration after the closing of this offering depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and a consultant (not affiliated with the sponsor) paid $1,043.48 for an aggregate of 300,000 ordinary shares (none of which are subject to forfeiture in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option), for a total of 7,187,500 ordinary shares issued for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share. The “sponsor affiliates” include Harry You, who acts as our Interim Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Chairman of our board of directors and the managing member of the Sponsor, and Robert You, adult son of Harry You and the Vice President of Corporate Development of the company. Both Messrs. You directly own membership interests in our sponsor. Out of the total 6,887,500 founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates, the sponsor, Harry You and Robert You each directly holds 2,575,000, 2,300,000 and 2,012,500 founder shares, respectively, each purchased at approximately $0.003 per share.
Because our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant each acquired the founder shares at a nominal price (approximately $0.003 per share), our public shareholders will incur an immediate and material dilution upon the closing of this offering. See the section titled “Risk Factors — The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant for the founder shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination, and the value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share.” We will also pay an affiliate of our sponsor for office space and administrative services provided to members of our management team in an amount equal to $15,000 per month. Our sponsor may loan us up to $300,000 under an unsecured, non-interest bearing promissory note for offering-related and organizational expenses. The loan is due at the earlier of June 30, 2025 or the closing of this offering and is anticipated to be repaid upon completion of this offering. Our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may loan us funds to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination. Such loans may be convertible into private placement warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The issuance of shares upon the exercise of such warrants may result in material dilution to our public shareholders. See the section titled “Summary — Our Sponsor” for more information regarding, among other things, the amount of compensation and securities received or to be received by our sponsor, its affiliates and our officers and directors.
The following table illustrates the difference between the public offering price and our net tangible book value per share, as adjusted to reflect various potential redemption levels that may occur in connection with the closing of our initial business combination, which we refer to as Adjusted NTBVPS, on a pro forma basis to give effect to this offering and the issuance of the private placement shares, assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option and exercise of the over-allotment option in full. Adjusted NTBVPS excludes the effect of the consummation of our initial business combination or any related transactions or expenses. See the section titled “Dilution” for more information.
Offering Price of $10.00, No Redemptions |
25% of Maximum Redemptions | 50% of Maximum Redemptions | 75% of Maximum Redemptions | Maximum Redemptions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adjusted NTBV |
Adjusted NTBV | Difference between adjusted NTBV and Offering Price | Adjusted NTBV | Difference between adjusted NTBV and Offering Price | Adjusted NTBV | Difference between adjusted NTBV and Offering Price | Adjusted NTBV | Difference between adjusted NTBV and Offering Price | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assuming Full Exercise of Over-Allotment Option | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
$ | 7.71 | $ | 7.13 | $ | 2.87 | $ | 6.18 | $ | 3.82 | $ | 4.27 | $ | 5.73 | $ | (1.47 | ) | $ | 11.47 | ||||||||||||||||
Assuming No Exercise of Over-Allotment Option | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
$ | 7.71 | $ | 7.14 | $ | 2.86 | $ | 6.18 | $ | 3.82 | $ | 4.28 | $ | 5.72 | $ | (1.45 | ) | $ | 11.45 |
Our founder shares are of the same class as the ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering. Our founder shares are identical to the public shares except that the founder shares are entitled to registration rights and subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail in this prospectus. Unlike in other SPACs, our founder shares do not have conversion and anti-dilution rights in connection with the closing of a business combination. Therefore, if additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination, our founder shares will be diluted by such issuance pro rata with the public shares.
Members of our management team will directly or indirectly own founder shares and/or private placement warrants following this offering and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. The low price that our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. In addition to their investments (directly or indirectly) in the founder shares and private placement warrants, our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates may make loans or advances to us for working capital from time to time. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, our sponsor, officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us, except to the extent they receive distributions on the founder shares from assets outside the trust account, if any, upon our liquidation and winding up, which could create an incentive for our sponsor, officers and directors to complete a transaction even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. Additionally, each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. There may be actual or potential material conflicts of interest between our sponsor, its affiliates or promoters on the one hand, and the investors in this offering on the other hand. See the sections titled “Our Business Combination Process” and “Management — Conflicts of Interest.”
Our sponsor is supported by affiliates of Meteora Capital, LLC, an investment adviser specializing in SPAC-related investments (“Meteora”). Meteora’s principals have previous experience across the full lifecycle of SPACs, from the initial public offering to the de-SPAC business combination process. Meteora will act as a consultant to the company and purchased 300,000 founder shares at a price per share of approximately $0.003 in November 2024. Meteora is expected to purchase public units from the underwriters in this offering at the $10.00 per unit offering price. Meteora is neither a broker-dealer nor affiliated with one and is not acting as an underwriter in connection with this offering. Meteora is not an affiliate of us or our sponsor, officers or directors.
Of the gross proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, $250,000,000, or $287,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit in either case), after deducting $5,000,000 in underwriting discounts and commissions payable upon the closing of this offering and an aggregate of approximately $1,220,000 to pay fees and expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and approximately $1,530,000 for working capital following the closing of this offering, will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee and held only (i) uninvested as cash, (ii) in an interest bearing bank demand deposit account or other accounts at a bank, or (iii) invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. To mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, which risk increases the longer we hold investments in the trust account, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to liquidate the investments held in the trust account and instead to hold the funds in the trust account in cash or in an interest bearing demand deposit account. For more information about the risk of the company being considered to be operating as an unregistered investment company, see “Risk Factors— Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination — If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination or force us to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination.”
Currently, there is no public market for our units, ordinary shares or warrants. We intend to apply to have our units listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, or the Nasdaq, under the symbol “TACOU” on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. We expect the ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless Cohen & Company Capital Markets, a division of J.V.B. Financial Group, LLC (“CCM”), the representative of the underwriters of this offering, informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our satisfaction of certain conditions as described further herein. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the public shares and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “TACO” and “TACOW”, respectively.
We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 48 for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. No offer or invitation, whether directly or indirectly, may be made to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for our securities.
Per Unit | Total | |||||||
Public offering price | $ | 10.00 | $ | 250,000,000 | ||||
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) | $ | 0.60 | $ | 15,000,000 | ||||
Proceeds, before expenses, to us | $ | 9.40 | $ | 235,000,000 |
(1) | Includes $0.20 per unit (excluding any units sold pursuant to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units), or $5,000,000 in the aggregate (whether or not the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units is exercised), payable to the underwriters upon the closing of this offering. Also includes up to $0.40 per unit, or up to $10,000,000 in the aggregate (or up to $11,500,000 if the overallotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters in this offering, for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States and released to the underwriters only upon the completion of an initial business combination. However, such deferred commissions shall be due solely from amounts remaining in the trust account following all properly submitted shareholder redemptions in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination and less any funds sourced by initial shareholders or any cash remaining in the trust pursuant to structured agreements such as forward purchase agreements, non-redemption agreements, any agreements or arrangements alike, or any other incentivization provided to the shareholders to not to redeem. See also “Underwriting” for a description of compensation and other items of value payable to the underwriters. |
The underwriter is offering the units for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the units to the purchasers on or about [●], 2025.
Sole Book-Running Manager
Cohen &
Company Capital Markets
, 2025
We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different from or inconsistent with that contained in this prospectus. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.
i
TRADEMARKS
This prospectus contains references to trademarks and service marks belonging to other entities. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the® or TM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that the applicable licensor will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, its rights to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.
ii
This summary only highlights the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. As this is a summary, it does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making an investment decision. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the information under “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing.
Unless otherwise stated in this prospectus or the context otherwise requires, references to:
● | “we,” “us,” “company” or “our company” are to Berto Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company. |
● | “articles” refers to the amended and restated memorandum and articles association of the company which will be adopted prior to the consummation of this offering; |
● | “CCM” are to Cohen & Company Capital Markets, a division of J.V.B. Financial Group, LLC, the representative of the underwriters in this offering. |
● | “Companies Act” are to the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands as the same may be amended from time to time; |
● | “completion window” the period of time (a) commencing on, and including, the closing date of the this offering and (b) ending on the date that is twenty four (24) months after the closing date of the closing of this offering, such earlier date as our directors may approve in accordance with our articles or such later date as our shareholders may approve in accordance with the articles. |
● | “directors” are to our current directors and director nominees; |
● | “founder shares” are to ordinary shares initially purchased by our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant in a private placement prior to this offering; |
● | “initial shareholders” are to our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, a consultant, and any other holder of our founder shares prior to this offering; |
● | “management” or our “management team” are to our officers and directors; |
● | “ordinary shares” are to the ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each in the capital of the company; |
● | “private placement warrants” are to the warrants issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering; |
● | “public shareholders” are to the holders of our public shares, including our initial shareholders and management team to the extent our initial shareholders and/or members of our management team purchase public shares, provided that each initial shareholder’s and member of our management team’s status as a “public shareholder” will only exist with respect to such public shares; |
1
● | “public shares” are to ordinary shares sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter); |
● | “public warrants” are to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter); |
● | “sponsor” are to Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company; |
● | “sponsor affiliates” are Harry L. You and Robert You; and |
● | “warrants” are to our public warrants and private placement warrants. |
Any forfeiture of shares, and all references to forfeiture of shares, described in this prospectus shall take effect as a surrender of shares for no consideration as a matter of Cayman Islands law. Any share dividend described in this prospectus will take effect as a share capitalization as a matter of Cayman Islands law.
Unless we tell you otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option.
2
GENERAL
We are a blank check company incorporated on July 15, 2024 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any specific business combination target, and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination with us. However, members of our management team had been or are in discussions with potential business combination partners in their capacity as officers and directors of Coliseum Acquisition Corp. (which consummated its initial business combination in December 2024) (“Coliseum”), dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. (which entered into a non-binding letter of intent for a potential business combination on February 26, 2025) (“dMY Squared”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI (which liquidated in April 2023 without completing a business combination) (“dMY VI”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV (which consummated its initial business combination in December 2021) (“dMY IV”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. III (which consummated its initial business combination in October 2021) (“dMY III”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. II (which consummated its initial business combination in April 2021) (“dMY II”), dMY Technology Group, Inc. (which consummated its initial business combination in December 2020) (“dMY I” and together with dMY Squared, dMY VI, dMY IV, dMY III, and dMY II, the “dMY SPACs”) and GTY Technology Holdings Inc. (which consummated its initial business combination in February 2019) (“GTY”) and we may pursue business combination partners that had previously been in discussions with the management teams of the dMY SPACs, Coliseum and GTY. See the section titled “Summary — Our Sponsor” for more information.
Our efforts to identify a prospective initial business combination target will not be limited to a particular industry, sector or geographic region. While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify and combine with a business or businesses that can benefit from our management team’s established relationships and operating experience. Our management team has extensive experience in identifying and executing strategic investments and has done so successfully in a number of sectors. While our focus is broad because of our perspective on technology and other growth industries having looked at over a thousand acquisition targets over the past decade, we will be examining in particular, opportunities in artificial intelligence (“AI”) as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas. Our articles prohibit us from effectuating a business combination solely with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations.
After we complete our initial business combination, to the extent permitted by its governing documents and applicable rules and regulations, the surviving public company could serve as a platform for future inorganic growth opportunities by increasing its footprint, areas of activities and extending the services it is providing to public companies and private companies intending to go public. Such inorganic opportunities may or may not be complementary to the business performed by the target company of our initial business combination. If we acquire a business or assets that are not complementary to such target business, such business or assets may not be able to leverage our infrastructure or operational experience, which may increase the costs associated with such acquisitions, and we may determine in connection with such acquisition or afterward to separate the ownership of such business or assets from that of our initial target business through a spin-off, split-off or otherwise. We have not selected or identified any potential target business or any potential inorganic opportunities at this stage.
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OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Our management team is comprised of industry leaders, who we believe are well positioned to identify and evaluate businesses that would benefit from our management team’s skills and access to the public markets. We believe that our management team possesses extensive experience in operating and growing companies, has a deep network of contacts and brings a distinctive background that can have a transformative impact on a target business. Our management team is spearheaded by Harry L. You, the Interim Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Chairman of the board of directors of the company, and [●].
Harry L. You is an experienced executive, chief financial officer and board member with extensive experience with technology companies. Harry has served as Chairman of the Board of Coliseum since June 2023 until the closing of its initial business combination in December 2024, and served as interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer from June 2023 until July 2023, and he currently serves as Chairman of Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. (Nasdaq: RAIN). Mr. You has also served as Chairman of the Board and a Director of dMY Squared since March 2022, as well as Chief Financial Officer since February 2022 and Chief Executive Officer since February 2025. From March 2022 until his resignation in March 2023, Mr. You also served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of dMY Squared. He has also been a member of the Audit Committee of Broadcom Inc. (Nasdaq: AVGO) (“Broadcom”) since January 2019 as well as Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Broadcom. Previously, he was Chief Financial Officer from September 2016 to August 2019 and President in May 2019 and from September 2016 to February 2019 and in May 2019 of GTY, a software as a service company that offers cloud-based solutions for the public sector. He was Executive Vice President in the Office of the Chairman of EMC Corporation (“EMC”) from 2008 to 2016. When Mr. You joined EMC in 2008, he oversaw corporate strategy and new business development, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and venture capital activity. He was Chief Executive Officer from 2005 to 2007 and Interim Chief Financial Officer from 2005 to 2006 of BearingPoint Inc. (formerly KPMG Consulting), a leading IT and management consultancy. He was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) (“Oracle”) from 2004 to 2005, in which capacity, he helped start Oracle’s acquisition run with takeovers of Peoplesoft, Inc. and Retek in 2005. Prior to joining Oracle, he held several key positions in finance, including as Chief Financial Officer of Accenture Ltd. from 2001 to 2004, guiding Accenture through its initial public offering, and a managing director in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley. He has also served as a trustee of the U.S. Olympic Committee Foundation from 2016 to 2022. Mr. You served as a director of IonQ, Inc. from October 2021 to February 2025. Mr. You served as Vice Chairman of the Board of GTY from February 2019 to July 2022 and as director of Coupang, Inc. from January 2021 to June 2023, Genius Sports Limited from April 2021 to December 2022, Rush Street Interactive, Inc. from September 2019 to June 2022, dMY II (a special purpose acquisition company) from June 2020 to April 2021, dMY IV (a special purpose acquisition company) from December 2020 to April 2023, and Korn/Ferry International from 2005 to 2016. Mr. You holds an M.A. in Economics from Yale University and a B.A. in Economics from Harvard College.
[●]
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PRIOR SPAC EXPERIENCE
The members of our management team, including Harry L. You, [●], have extensive experience with special purpose acquisition companies.
dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc.
In February 2022, Mr. You founded dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc., a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You has served as Chairman of the Board and a Director of dMY Squared since March 2022, as well as Chief Financial Officer since February 2022. From March 2022 until his resignation in March 2023, Mr. You also served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of dMY Squared. dMY Squared completed its initial public offering in September 2022, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $63,190,000. On January 2, 2024, dMY Squared held a special meeting of shareholders to extend the date by which it must complete a business combination from January 4, 2024 to January 29, 2024, and month to month thereafter up to December 29, 2025, provided that $50,000 is deposited into the trust account for each month of the extension. In connection with the extension, approximately 3,980,414 public shares were redeemed, representing approximately 37.0% of the public shares issued in dMY Squared’s initial public offering. dMY Squared’s units, Class A common stock and warrants are traded on the NYSE American under the symbols “DMYY.U,” “DMYY” and “DMYY.WS”, respectively. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of DMYY.U, DMYY and DMYY.WS were $11.50, $11.10, and $0.72, respectively. On February 26, 2025, dMY Squared and Horizon Quantum Computing Pte. Ltd. (“Horizon”), a developer of advanced software development tools for quantum computers, entered into a non-binding letter of intent for a potential business combination.
Coliseum Acquisition Corp./Rain Enhancement Technologies, Inc.
Coliseum Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Coliseum completed its initial public offering in June 2021, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $150,000,000. Mr. You acquired (directly and indirectly) 70% of the founder shares and private placement warrants of Coliseum from its previous sponsor in June 2023, and became Chairman of the Board of Directors of Coliseum. In June 2023, November 2023, September 2024 and December 2024, Coliseum held shareholder meetings to extend the date by which it must complete a business combination, and in connection therewith, 9,121,799 public shares, 3,001,840 public shares, 1,089,249 public shares, and 856,188 public shares were redeemed. On June 26, 2024, Coliseum entered into a business combination agreement with Rain Enhancement Technologies, Inc., a business formed to develop, improve and commercialize ionization rainfall generation technology. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of Coliseum to approve the business combination with Rain Enhancement Technologies, Inc., shareholders holding 505,207 public shares exercised their rights to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $11.41 per share for an aggregate of $2.37 million. Together with the public shares submitted for redemption in connection with the extension meetings as described above, approximately 97.16% of the public shares issued in Coliseum’s initial public offering were redeemed. Following the closing, Class A common stock and warrants of Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. began trading on Nasdaq on January 2, 2025 under the ticker symbols “RAIN” and “RAINW,” respectively. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of RAIN and RAINW were $2.10 and $0.10, respectively. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. reflects a market value of approximately $15.90 million.
dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI
In April 2021, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI, a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as co-chairman of the board of dMY VI from April 2021 to April 2023. dMY VI completed its initial public offering in September 2021, in which it raised aggregate of approximately $210,000,000. On December 22, 2022, dMY VI announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination with Rain Enhancement Technologies, Inc. The business combination was unsuccessful and dMY VI liquidated on April 27, 2023. Prior to its liquidation, dMY VI’s units, Class A common stock and warrants were traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “DMYS.U,” “DMYS” and “DMYS WS”, respectively.
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dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV/Planet Labs Inc.
In December 2020, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV, a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as a director of dMY IV from December 2020 to December 2021. dMY IV completed its initial public offering in February 2021, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $340,000,000. dMY IV completed its initial business combination with Planet Labs Inc. (“Planet Labs”), an Earth observation and analysis company, in November 2021, which transaction valued Planet Labs at a post-transaction equity value of approximately $2.8 billion. There was no vote held to extend the date by which dMY IV must consummate a business combination because it consummated its initial business combination within 24 months of its initial public offering. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of dMY IV to approve the business combination with Planet Labs, holders of 689,670 shares of dMY IV Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering, or approximately 2.0% of the outstanding public shares, exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.00 per share, or $6.9 million in the aggregate. dMY IV and Planet Labs raised a private investment in public equity (“PIPE”) in the amount of $252 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as a director of Planet Labs from December 2021 to April 2023. Planet Labs’ Class A common stock and warrants are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “PL” and “PL WS”. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of PL and PL WS were $4.24 and $0.90, respectively. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of Planet Labs reflects a market value of approximately $1.26 billion.
dMY Technology Group, Inc. III/IonQ, Inc.
In September 2020, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc. III, a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as a director of dMY III from September 2020 to October 2021. dMY III completed its initial public offering in October 2020, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $300,000,000. dMY III completed its initial business combination with IonQ, Inc. (“IonQ”), a quantum computing business, in October 2021, which transaction valued IonQ at approximately $2 billion. There was no vote held to extend the date by which dMY III must consummate a business combination because it consummated its initial business combination within 24 months of its initial public offering. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of dMY III to approve the business combination with IonQ, holders of 950,923 shares of dMY III Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering, or approximately 3.2% of the outstanding public shares, exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.00 per share, or $9.5 million in the aggregate. dMY III and IonQ raised a PIPE in the amount of $345 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as a director of IonQ from October 2021 to February 2025. IonQ, Inc.’s common stock and warrants are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “IONQ” and “IONQ WS”. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of IONQ and IONQ WS were $21.14 and $10.32, respectively. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of IonQ reflects a market value of approximately $4.71 billion.
dMY Technology Group, Inc. II/Genius Sports Group
In June 2020, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc. II, a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as a director of dMY II from June 2020 to April 2021. dMY II completed its initial public offering in October 2020, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $276,000,000. dMY II completed its initial business combination with Genius Sports Group (“Genius Sports”), a sports data company, in March 2021, which transaction valued Genius Sports at approximately $1.5 billion. There was no vote held to extend the date by which dMY II must consummate a business combination because it consummated its initial business combination within 24 months of its initial public offering. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of dMY II to approve the business combination with Genius Sports, holders of 1,296 shares of dMY II Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering, or less than 0.01% of the outstanding public shares, exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.00 per share, or $12,966.05 in the aggregate. dMY II and Genius Sports raised a PIPE in the amount of $330 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as a director of Genius Sports from April 2021 to December 2022. Genius Sports’ ordinary shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “GENI”. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of GENI was $10.05. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of Genius Sports reflects a market value of approximately $2.51 billion.
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dMY Technology Group, Inc./Rush Street Interactive, Inc.
In September 2019, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc., a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as a director of dMY I from September 2019 to December 2020. dMY I completed its initial public offering in February 2020, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $230,000,000. dMY I completed its initial business combination with Rush Street Interactive, Inc. (“Rush Street”), an online casino and sports wagering company, in December 2020, which transaction valued Rush Street at approximately $1.78 billion. There was no vote held to extend the date by which dMY must consummate a business combination because it consummated its initial business combination within 24 months of its initial public offering. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of dMY I to approve the business combination with Rush Street, holders of 485 shares of dMY I Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering, or less than 0.01% of the outstanding public shares, exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.03 per share, or $4,866.97 in the aggregate. dMY I and Rush Street raised a PIPE in the amount of $160.4 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as a director of Rush Street from December 2020 to June 2022. Rush Street’s Class A common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “RSI”. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of RSI was $10.93. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of Rush Street reflects a market value of approximately $2.49 billion.
GTY Technology Holding Inc./GI Partners
In August 2016, Mr. You founded GTY Technology Holdings, Inc., a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as chief financial officer of GTY from September 2016 to August 2019 and president from September 2016 to February 2019. GTY completed its initial public offering in October 2016, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $552,000,000. GTY completed its initial business combination in February 2019 with six companies in the software as a service and cloud software industry, including Bonfire Interactive Ltd., CityBase, Inc., eCivis, Inc., Open Counter Enterprises Inc., Questica Inc. and Questica USCDN Inc. and Sherpa Government Solutions LLC. The pro forma enterprise value of the transaction was approximately $560 million. In October 2018, in connection with a stockholder meeting to approve an extension of the deadline date for GTY to complete an initial business combination, GTY’s public stockholders holding 34,011,538 shares of GTY common stock out of a total of 55,200,000 shares of GTY common stock (approximately 65% of the then outstanding GTY common stock) validly elected to redeem their shares, and, after giving effect to such redemptions, the balance left in GTY’s trust account was approximately $216.8 million. In February 2019, in connection with the stockholders meeting to approve GTY’s initial business combination, holders of 11,073,040 shares of GTY common stock (which, together with the shares redeemed in connection with the extension, totals approximately 86% of the outstanding GTY common stock at the consummation of its initial public offering), exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.29 per share, or $114 million in the aggregate. GTY raised a PIPE in the amount of approximately $126.3 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors from February 2019 to July 2022. GTY’s common stock was traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “GTYH”. On July 7, 2022, GTY was acquired by a private investment firm, GI Partners, for a purchase price of approximately $6.30 per share, or approximately $363 million in aggregate.
Other Merger & Acquisition and Capital Markets Experience
In addition to the prior SPAC experience above, Mr. You, our Chairman of the board of directors, has executed several hundred investments and acquisitions as a managing director in Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley and two other firms from 1989 to 2001, Chief Financial Officer at Accenture from 2001 to 2004 and Oracle from 2004 to 2005, as well as EVP in the Office of the Chairman in charge of Merger & Acquisition and Corporate Development at EMC from 2008 to 2016. Notably, Mr. You helped architect the $67 billion buyout of EMC by Dell Technologies Inc., which has been one of the largest technology acquisitions and leveraged buyout. Recently, as a member of the executive committee of the board of Broadcom, Mr. You provided input on the $92 billion acquisition of VMware LLC by Broadcom.
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Mr. You has raised over $2 billion in capital relative to several SPACs and deSPAC transactions and as a banker, has helped garner and execute several dozen initial public offerings of companies including the United Parcel Service, Inc., Galileo, and Perot Systems Corporation. Mr. You was Chief Financial Officer for Accenture in 2001 during its successful initial public offering.
Our management team provides a unique set of capabilities and understanding of the critical success factors for expeditious and efficient execution of a SPAC business combination. Our management team believes this experience can guide us in effectively evaluating potential opportunities and executing a transaction quickly and prudently.
With respect to the foregoing experiences of our management team, past performance is not a guarantee (i) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record and performance of the members of our management team as indicative of the future performance of an investment in us or the financial returns we may, or are likely to, generate going forward. For more information on the experience and background of our management team, see the section entitled “Management.”
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INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the private placement of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of this offering), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, other securities issuances or a combination of the foregoing. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their ordinary shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against or whether they do not vote or abstain from voting on the proposed transaction, or whether they were a public shareholder on the record date for the general meeting held to approve the proposed transaction. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if the business combination is approved by an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting of the company. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement.
We will have until the end of the completion window to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within the completion window, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our articles to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for an extension, holders of our ordinary shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein and applicable law. Our initial shareholders will lose their entire investment in us, except to the extent they are entitled to receive distributions on the shares they own from assets outside the trust account, if any, upon our liquidation and winding up, if our initial business combination is not completed within the completion window unless we extend the amount of time we have to consummate an initial business combination by obtaining shareholder approval to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. While we do not currently intend to seek such shareholder approval, we may elect to do so in the future. There are no limitations on the number of extensions, including the number of times we may seek to extend. If we do not or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination, our sponsor’s investment in our founder shares and our private placement warrants will be worthless.
If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds, redeem 100% of the public shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law and certain conditions as further described herein. We expect the pro rata redemption price to be approximately $10.00 per public share (regardless of whether or not the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option), without taking into account any interest or other income earned on such funds. However, we cannot assure you that we will in fact be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors, which may take priority over the claims of our public shareholders.
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Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding any deferred underwriters fees and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or an independent valuation or appraisal firm that regularly provides fairness opinions solely with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it likely that our board will be able to make such independent determination of fair market value, it may be unable to do so if the board is less familiar or experienced with the target company’s business, there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the company’s assets or prospects, including if such company is at an early stage of development, operations or growth, or if the anticipated transaction involves a complex financial analysis or other specialized skills and the board determines that outside expertise would be helpful or necessary in conducting such analysis. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity interests of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target, however, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test described above. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses.
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OUR BUSINESS COMBINATION PROCESS
We believe our management team’s significant operating and transactional experience and relationships provide us with access to a substantial number of potential initial business combination targets. Over the course of their careers, the members of our management team have developed a broad network of contacts and relationships with private companies, investment bankers, private equity and debt investors, high net worth families and their advisors, commercial bankers, attorneys, management consultants, accountants and other transaction intermediaries, as well as corporate sector executives and board members around the world. This network has grown through the activities of our management team sourcing, acquiring and financing businesses, the reputation of our management team for integrity and fair dealing with sellers, financing sources and target management teams and the experience of our management team in executing transactions, especially special purpose acquisition company transactions, under varying economic and financial market conditions. In addition, our management team has developed a significant network of relationships through the core management team’s long-time sponsorship of special purpose acquisition companies.
This network has provided our management team with a flow of referrals that has resulted in numerous transactions which were proprietary or where a limited group of investors were invited to participate in the sale process. We believe that the network of contacts and relationships of our management team will provide us important sources of investment opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business combination candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity funds and large business enterprises seeking to divest non-core assets or divisions.
Consistent with our business strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We will use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating initial business combination opportunities, but we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines.
● | Size: We intend to target companies whose enterprise value is between $200 million to $1.5 billion. |
● | Focus: Our management team’s multifaceted expertise in assessing a target’s strengths and missing ingredients for growth are key factors in evaluating business combination candidates swiftly and adequately. Our public currency and knowhow with public investors can also confer a significant advantage. |
● | Management’s maturity: We intend to seek companies with proven and accomplished management teams that are eager to march forward together with and benefit from our management team’s expertise. We intend to devote significant attention and resources to analyzing and reaching alignment among a target’s management and its stakeholders. We look for companies with a significant advantage in knowhow and technology. |
● | Operational Maturity: We intend to seek companies which have the requisite compliance, financial controls and reporting processes in place and are ready for the regulatory requirements of a public entity. |
● | Growth: We will focus on companies with superior growth relative to their market segment in revenues and cashflows. We prefer companies that are differentiated and can price at a similar or stronger pace than underlying price inflation. |
● | Strategic Initiatives: We intend to seek management teams with the interest and ability to execute on strategic opportunities, including accretive acquisitions of companies that have the potential to enhance shareholder value. |
● | Benefit from being public: We intend to work with management and stakeholders who aspire to have their company become a public entity and generate substantial growth. Leveraging our relationships with investment banks and potential strategic partners, the benefits of transitioning from a private to a public entity may include broader access to debt and equity providers, liquidity for employees and potential acquisitions, and expanded branding in the marketplace. |
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● | Reputation and market acceptance: We intend to seek companies that have the opportunity to achieve market leadership in their segment. In addition, we intend to seek companies that have defensible proprietary technology and intellectual property rights. |
● | Appropriate Valuations: We view ourselves as rigorous, disciplined and valuation-centric investors, with a keen understanding of market value, upside and potential downside risks. |
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management team may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our shareholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we would file with the SEC.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspections of facilities, as well as reviewing financial and other information made available to us and other reviews as we deem appropriate. We may also retain consultants with expertise relating to a prospective target business.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or completing the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete an initial business combination with a target that is an affiliate (as defined in our articles) of our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions stating that the consideration to be paid by us in such an initial business combination is fair to our company and its shareholders from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
Members of our management team will directly or indirectly own founder shares and/or private placement warrants following this offering and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. The low price that our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. In addition to their investments (directly or indirectly) in the founder shares and private placement warrants, our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates may make loans or advances to us for working capital from time to time. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, our sponsor, officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us, except to the extent they receive distributions on the founder shares from assets outside the trust account, if any, upon our liquidation and winding up, which could create an incentive for our sponsor, officers and directors to complete a transaction even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. Additionally, each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity.
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Our officers and directors presently have and, in the future, may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such opportunity to such entity, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands Law. As a result, our sponsor, officers and directors could have conflicts of interest in determining whether to present business combination opportunities to us or to any other special purpose acquisition company with which they may become involved.
Our articles provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer or the sponsor shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us, and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may (a) be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a member of director, officer or sponsor to any other entity. The purpose for the surrender of corporate opportunities is to allow officers, directors or other representatives with multiple business affiliations to continue to serve as an officer of our company or on our board of directors. Our officers and directors may from time to time be presented with opportunities that could benefit both another business affiliation and us. In the absence of the “corporate opportunity” waiver in our articles, certain candidates would not be able to serve as an officer or director. We believe we substantially benefit from having representatives who bring significant, relevant and valuable experience to our management, and, as a result, the inclusion of the “corporate opportunity” waiver in our articles provide us with greater flexibility to attract and retain the officers and directors that we feel are the best candidates. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete an initial business combination.
Certain members of our sponsor and our officers and directors may have similar responsibilities in, or serve as directors of other SPACs. Mr. You is serving as the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of dMY Squared. In addition, our sponsor and our officers and directors or any of their affiliates may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, we do not believe that such duties or obligations will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. With respect to dMY Squared, the type of transaction we would target would be of a nature different than what dMY Squared would target. For instance, although both we and dMY Squared may pursue an initial business combination target in any industry or geographic region, we plan to focus the target search of our company in AI, as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas, while dMY Squared intends to focus its search on companies within the professional service industry that provide accounting, legal, financial, advisory or other services to public companies or private companies that are in the process of becoming public companies. Even if both we and dMY Squared broaden the scope of search and choose to pursue targets in any industry or geographic region, our management team has significant experience in identifying and executing multiple acquisition opportunities simultaneously, and we believe there are multiple potential opportunities across all industries and geographic regions. Second, we have different timelines in completing a business combination. dMY Squared currently has until March 29, 2025 (which may be extended monthly up to 23 times for an additional one month each time to up to December 29, 2025, by resolution of the board of directors of dMY Squared) to complete a business combination. While we expect that dMY Squared will have priority over us with respect to acquisition opportunities, due to a shorter completion window for dMY Squared, a target that we pursue may not be a suitable target for dMY Squared because it may not be able to combine with dMY Squared before its deadline. Additionally, in February 2025, dMY Squared announced that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Horizon, a developer of advanced software development tools for quantum computers, with respect to its initial business combination. However, there is no guarantee that dMY Squared will be able to enter into a definitive business combination agreement with Horizon or, if such agreement is entered into, that it will ultimately be able to consummate a business combination with Horizon. With respect to companies other than dMY Squared, we do not believe the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors owed to such entities will materially affect our ability to complete an initial business combination, because such entities are not themselves in the business of engaging in business combinations.
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OUR SPONSOR
Our sponsor, Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, is a Cayman Islands limited liability company, which was formed to invest in us. The activities undertaken by our sponsor are focused on investing in our company. The managing member of our sponsor is Harry You, the Interim Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Chairman of the board of directors of the company. Mr. You controls the management of our sponsor, including the exercise of voting and investment discretion over the securities of our company held by our sponsor. As of the date of this prospectus, Harry You and Robert You, an initial shareholder, adult son of Harry You and the Vice President of Corporate Development of the company, have a direct or indirect material interest in our sponsor. The following table sets forth information regarding the ownership of interests in our sponsor, by each person known by us to have material direct and indirect interests in the sponsor (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) as of the date of this prospectus. Other than Harry You, none of the other members of our sponsor will be officers or directors of, or otherwise participate in the management of our company.
Class X Units2 | Class Y Units3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Name of Beneficial Owner | Number of Units Beneficially Owned |
Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Units |
Corresponding Founder Shares of the Company Held through the Sponsor | Number of Units Beneficially Owned |
Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Units |
Corresponding Private Placement Warrants of the Company to be Held through the Sponsor |
||||||||||||||||||
Harry L. You1 | - | - | - | 4,000,000 | 100 | % | 4,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||
Robert You | 1,475,000 | 57.3 | % | 1,475,000 | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||
Other non-managing sponsor investors4 | 1,100,000 | 42.7 | % | 1,100,000 | - | - | - |
1. | Harry L. You is the managing member of the sponsor and directs its day to day operations. |
2. | The total outstanding Class X Units of the sponsor represent an interest in 2,575,000 founder shares held by the Sponsor. |
3. | The total outstanding Class Y Units of the sponsor represent an interest in 4,000,000 private placement warrants to be held by the Sponsor. |
4. | We expect that certain institutional investors [(none of which are affiliated with any member of our management, our sponsor, or any other investor)], which we refer to as the “non-managing sponsor investors” throughout this prospectus, will purchase up to 1,100,000 Class X Units at a price of $2.50 to $5.00 per unit, in private placements that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. |
Class X Units represent interests in our founder shares held by our sponsor. Class Y Units represent interests in our private placement warrants held by our sponsor. The Class X Units and Class Y Units do not confer on the holders voting or other rights to direct or manage our company. The direction and management of our company is vested in the board of directors and management team pursuant to our articles.
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The following table sets forth the payments to be received by our sponsor and its affiliates from us prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and the securities issued and to be issued by us to our sponsor or its affiliates:
Entity | Amount
of Compensation to be Received or Securities Issued or to be Issued |
Consideration Paid or to be Paid | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC | 2,575,000 ordinary shares (of which 375,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). | $8,956.52 (approximately $0.003 per share) | ||
Harry L. You | 2,300,000 ordinary shares (of which 300,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). | $8,000.00 (approximately $0.003 per share) | ||
Robert You | 2,012,500 ordinary shares (of which 262,500 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). | $7,000.00 (approximately $0.003 per share) | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC | 4,000,000 private placement warrants | $4,000,000 ($1.00 per warrant) | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC and/or its affiliates or designees | $15,000 per month | Office space and administrative services provided to members of our management team | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC | Repayment in cash | Up to $300,000 under an unsecured, non-interest-bearing promissory note for offering-related and organizational expenses. The loan is due at the earlier of June 30, 2025 or the closing of this offering and are anticipated to be repaid upon completion of this offering. | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, an affiliate thereof, or our officers and directors | Repayment in cash, or up to $1.5 million of loans may be repaid in private placement warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender, which conversion may result in material dilution to our public shareholders | Loans to finance the company’s working capital or transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, our officers or directors, or affiliates thereof | Repayment in cash | Any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating, negotiating and completing an initial business combination | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, our officers or directors, our advisors, or affiliates thereof | Consulting, success, advisory, or finder’s fees | Any services in order to effectuate the completion of our initial business, which, if made prior to the completion of our initial business combination, will be paid from funds held outside the trust account | ||
Independent directors | [●] | Cash compensation for services rendered to us to be paid upon the earlier of closing an initial business combination or liquidation |
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Because our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant each acquired the founder shares at a nominal price, our public shareholders will incur an immediate and material dilution upon the closing of this offering. Further, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may loan us funds to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination. Such loans may be convertible into private placement warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The issuance of shares upon the exercise of such warrants may result in material dilution to our public shareholders. See the sections titled “Dilution” and “Risk Factors — The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant for the founder shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination, and the value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share.”
Our founder shares are of the same class as the ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering. Our founder shares are identical to the public shares except that the founder shares are entitled to registration rights and subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail in this prospectus. Unlike in other SPACs, our founder shares do not have conversion and anti-dilution rights in connection with the closing of a business combination. Therefore, if additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination, our founder shares will be diluted by such issuance pro rata with the public shares.
Pursuant to a letter agreement to be entered with us, each of our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors and the consultant who owns founder shares has agreed to restrictions on its ability to transfer, assign, or sell the founder shares and private placement warrants, as summarized in the table below. Our letter agreement with our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors, and consultant which contains the below provisions relating to transfer restrictions of our founder shares and private placement warrants, may be amended without shareholder approval. Such transfer restrictions have been amended in connection with business combinations for certain other special purpose acquisition companies. While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to the letter agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to the letter agreement.
Subject Securities | Expiration Date | Persons Subject to Restrictions | Exceptions to Transfer Restrictions | |||
Founder Shares | The founder shares are not transferable or salable until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) the closing price of the ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period, provided such release shall not occur earlier than 150 days after our initial business combination or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. | Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC Harry L. You Robert You Meteora Capital, LLC |
Transfers are permitted (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliate or family member of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates, (b) in the case of an individual, as a gift to such person’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of such person’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of such person; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; |
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Subject Securities | Expiration Date | Persons Subject to Restrictions | Exceptions to Transfer Restrictions | |||
(e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with any forward purchase agreement or similar arrangement or in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the shares or warrants were originally purchased; (f) by virtue of the laws of the Cayman Islands or our sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of our sponsor, (g) to the company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of an initial business combination; (h) in the event of our liquidation prior to our consummation of our initial business combination; (i) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (a) through (f) above; and (j) in the event that, subsequent to the consummation of an initial business combination, we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (f) or (h), these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement with the company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions herein and the other restrictions contained in this Agreement (including provisions relating to voting, the Trust Account and liquidating distributions). |
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Subject Securities | Expiration Date | Persons Subject to Restrictions | Exceptions to Transfer Restrictions | |||
Private Placement Warrants(1) | The private placement warrants are not transferable or saleable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. | Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC Harry L. You Robert You |
Same as above. | |||
Any units, warrants, ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any units, ordinary shares or warrants | 180 days | Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC Harry L. You Robert You Meteora Capital, LLC |
CCM, as the representative of the underwriters in this offering, in its sole discretion may release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time with prior written consent. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors are also subject to separate transfer restrictions on their founder shares and private placement warrants pursuant to the letter agreements described in the immediately preceding paragraphs. |
(1) | The private placement warrants to be purchased by CCM will also be subject to such restrictions and other transfer restrictions under FINRA rules. See the section entitled “Underwriting” for more information. |
Up to 937,500 of the founder shares will be surrendered by our sponsor to us for no consideration depending on the extent to which the underwriter’ over-allotment option is exercised. In addition, although there are no current plans to do so, in order to facilitate our initial business combination or a PIPE financing or for any other reason determined by our sponsor in its sole discretion, our sponsor may surrender or forfeit, transfer or exchange our founder shares, private placement warrants (other than founder shares indirectly owned by the non-managing sponsor investors) or any of our other securities, including for no consideration, as well as subject any such securities to earn-outs or other restrictions, or otherwise amend the terms of any such securities or enter into any other arrangements with respect to any such securities.
The securities held by the sponsor are expected to only be distributed directly to the members of the sponsor in connection with or following the consummation of our initial business combination, provided that such members agree to become subject to the applicable transfer restrictions with respect to such securities. Indirect transfers of the securities held by the sponsor, such as to another member of the sponsor or their affiliate or a new member of the sponsor, may be permitted with the consent of Harry You, the managing member of our sponsor, so long as such transfer complies with the applicable transfer restrictions with respect to such securities.
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Additionally, our initial business combination may be subject to regulatory review and approval requirements, including foreign investment regulations and review by government entities such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”). Our initial shareholders, including our sponsor, will own approximately 20% of our issued and outstanding shares following this offering. Our sponsor is exclusively “controlled” for CFIUS purposes by Harry You, who is a U.S. citizen, and thus we do not believe our sponsor is a “foreign person” as defined in the CFIUS regulations. However, it is possible that non-U.S. persons could be involved in our initial business combination (e.g., as existing shareholders of a target company or as PIPE investors), which may increase the risk that our initial business combination becomes subject to regulatory review, including review by CFIUS. As such, an initial business combination with a U.S. business or foreign business with U.S. subsidiaries that we may wish to pursue may be subject to CFIUS review, or ultimately prohibited. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial business combination may be limited. Please see “Risk Factors — We may not be able to complete an initial business combination since such initial business combination may be subject to regulatory review and approval requirement, including foreign investment regulations and review by government entities such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or may be ultimately prohibited.” for additional information.
Corporate Information
Our executive offices are located at 1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144 and our telephone number is (702) 781-4313. We currently maintain a corporate website at [●]. The information that may be contained or accessible through our corporate website or any other website that we may maintain is not part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act. As an exempted company, we have applied for and received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that, in accordance with Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 30 years from the date of the undertaking, no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations will apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax will be payable (i) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (ii) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of a payment of dividend or other distribution of income or capital by us to our shareholders or a payment of principal or interest or other sums due under a debenture or other obligation of us.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
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We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” will have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equaled or exceeded $250 million as of the prior June 30, or (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equaled or exceeded $700 million as of the prior June 30.
Prior to the date of this prospectus, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
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In making your decision on whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the backgrounds of the members of our management team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company and the fact that this offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section below entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus.
Securities offered | 25,000,000 units, at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of: | |||
● | one ordinary share; and | |||
● | one half of one redeemable warrant | |||
Proposed Nasdaq symbols | Units: “TACOU”
Ordinary shares: “TACO”
Warrants: “TACOW” | |||
Trading commencement and separation of ordinary shares and warrants | The units are expected to begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless CCM informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Once the ordinary shares and warrants commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into ordinary shares and warrants. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade.
Additionally, the units will automatically separate into their component parts in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. | |||
Separate trading of the ordinary shares and warrants is prohibited until we have filed a Current Report on Form 8-K | In no event will the ordinary shares and warrants be traded separately until we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K containing an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. | |||
Units: | ||||
Number outstanding before this offering | 0 | |||
Number outstanding after this offering | 25,000,000(1) |
Ordinary Shares: | ||
Number outstanding before this offering | 7,187,500(2) | |
Number outstanding after this offering | 31,250,000(1)(3) |
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Warrants: | ||
Number of warrants to be sold in a private placement simultaneously with this offering | 7,750,000(1) | |
Number of warrants to be outstanding after this offering and the private placement | 20,250,000(1)(4) |
(1) | Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the forfeiture of 937,500 founder shares by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates for no consideration. |
(2) | Includes 6,887,500 founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates and 300,000 founder shares held by a consultant. Includes up to 937,500 founder shares that will be forfeited by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. |
(3) | Includes 25,000,000 public shares and 6,250,000 founder shares. |
(4) | Comprised of 12,500,000 public warrants included in the units to be sold in this offering and 7,750,000 private placement warrants. |
Exercisability | Each whole warrant offered in this offering is exercisable to purchase one ordinary share. Only whole warrants are exercisable. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you acquire at least two units, you will not be able to exercise a warrant.
We structured each unit to contain one-half of one warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable for one ordinary share, in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of a business combination as compared to units issued by some other similar special purpose acquisition companies that each contain a whole warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive business combination partner for target businesses.
Except as described below, the private placement warrants will be exercisable on the same terms as the warrants offered as part of the units. | |
Exercise price | $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination (the “exercise price”), subject to adjustments described herein. In addition, if (x) we issue additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our initial shareholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our initial shareholders or such affiliates prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”) (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds (including from such issuances and this offering), and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our ordinary shares during the 20 trading-day period starting on the trading day after the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under “Redemption of public warrants for cash” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. |
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Exercise period | The warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, provided that we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available and such shares are registered, qualified or exempt from registration under the securities, or blue sky, laws of the state of residence of the holder (or we permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis under the circumstances specified in the warrant agreement).
We are registering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part because the warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, which may be within one year of this offering. However, because the warrants will be exercisable until their expiration date of up to five years after the completion of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act following the consummation of our initial business combination, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file a registration statement with the SEC and have an effective registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the above, if our ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement.
The warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or our liquidation. | |||
Redemption of public warrants for cash | Once the public warrants become exercisable, we may redeem the outstanding public warrants for cash:
| |||
● | in whole and not in part; | |||
● | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; | |||
● | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, which we refer to as the 30-day measurement period; and | |||
● | if, and only if, the closing price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like and for certain issuances of ordinary shares and equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination as described elsewhere in this prospectus) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we send the notice of redemption to the public warrant holders. |
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We will not redeem the public warrants as described above for cash unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the public warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day measurement period, except if the public warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. If and when the public warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
We have established the last of the redemption criteria discussed above to prevent a redemption call unless there is at the time of the call a significant premium to the public warrant exercise price. If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption of the public warrants, each public warrant holder will be entitled to exercise his, her or its public warrant prior to the scheduled redemption date. However, the price of the ordinary shares may fall below the $18.00 redemption trigger price (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a public warrant as described under the heading “— Anti-dilution Adjustments”) as well as the public warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued. |
Cashless exercise | If we call the public warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our shareholders of issuing the maximum number of ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” of our ordinary shares (defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” will mean the average reported closing price of the ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. Please see “Description of Securities — Warrants — Public Shareholders’ Warrants” for additional information. |
Founder shares | In November 2024, our sponsor and sponsor affiliates paid $23,956.52 for an aggregate of 6,887,500 founder shares (up to 937,500 of which will be surrendered to us for no consideration after the closing of this offering depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and a consultant paid $1,043.48 for an aggregate of 300,000 ordinary shares (none of which are subject to forfeiture in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option), for a total of 7,187,500 ordinary shares issued for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share. The “sponsor affiliates” include Harry You, who acts as our Chairman of the board of directors and the managing member of the Sponsor, and Robert You, adult son of Harry You and the Vice President of Corporate Development of the company. Both Messrs. You directly own membership interests in our sponsor. Out of the total 6,887,500 founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates, the sponsor, Harry You and Robert You each directly holds 2,575,000, 2,300,000 and 2,012,500 founder shares, respectively, each purchased at approximately $0.003 per share. |
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Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our initial shareholders, we had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per share price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued. The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of this offering would be a maximum of 28,750,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. Up to 937,500 of the founder shares held by the sponsor and sponsor affiliates will be forfeited for no consideration depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, we will effect with our sponsor a share dividend or share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of founder shares by our initial shareholders at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. | ||||
The founder shares are identical to the ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering, except that: | ||||
● | the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below; | |||
● | the founder shares are entitled to registration rights; | |||
● | our initial shareholders, sponsor affiliates, sponsor, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares they hold and any public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors may acquire during or after this offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares they hold and any public shares held by the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our articles (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account and to liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame); and |
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● | if we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our initial shareholders have agreed to vote any founder shares they held and any public shares the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination and we will only complete our initial business combination if the business combination is approved by an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, meaning the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes by the shareholders of the issued shares represented in person or represented by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company, voting together as a single class. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need 9,375,001 or 37.5% of the 25,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted, the over-allotment option is not exercised and the parties to the letter agreement do not acquire any public shares). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our articles, vote their ordinary shares at a general meeting of the company, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. |
Transfer restrictions on founder shares | Our initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier to occur of: (i) one year after the completion of our initial business combination or (ii) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction after our initial business combination that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property; except to certain permitted transferees and under certain circumstances as described herein under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants,” or (iii) if the closing price of the ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30 trading-day period commencing at least 150 days after the company’s initial business combination. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up. | |
Voting | Each ordinary share will entitle the holder to one vote, with respect to matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law. |
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Private placement warrants and underlying shares | Our sponsor and the underwriters have committed to purchase an aggregate of 7,750,000 private placement warrants (including if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), each exercisable to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, or $7,750,000 in the aggregate, in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Of those 7,750,000 private placement warrants, our sponsor has agreed to purchase 4,000,000 private placement warrants and the underwriters have agreed to purchase 3,750,000 private placement warrants. The private placement warrants will also be worthless if we do not complete our initial business combination. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering except that (i) the private placement warrants (including the underlying shares) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holders until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) they (including the underlying shares) will be entitled to registration rights, (iii) they will not be redeemable by us and (iv) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis. With respect to any private placement warrants held by CCM and/or their respective designees, such private placement warrants will be subject to the lock-up and registration rights limitations imposed by FINRA Rule 5110 and will not be exercisable more than five (5) years from the commencement of sales in this offering in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8).
A portion of the purchase price of the private placement warrants will be added to the proceeds from this offering to be held in the trust account such that at the time of closing $250,000,000 (or $287,500,000 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) will be held in the trust account. | |
Proceeds to be held in trust account | Nasdaq rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants be deposited in a trust account. Of the net proceeds we will receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, after deducting $5,000,000 in underwriting discounts and commissions payable upon the closing of this offering and an aggregate of approximately $1,220,000 to pay fees and expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and approximately $1,530,000 for working capital following the closing of this offering, an aggregate of $250,000,000, or $287,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit in either case), will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee and held only (i) uninvested as cash, (ii) in an interest bearing bank demand deposit account or other accounts at a bank, or (iii) invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. To mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, which risk increases the longer we hold investments in the trust account, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to liquidate the investments held in the trust account and instead to hold the funds in the trust account in cash or in an interest bearing demand deposit account. For more information about the risk of the company being considered to be operating as an unregistered investment company, see “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination — If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination or force us to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination.” |
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Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our taxes, if any, the funds held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination in connection with a general meeting called to approve the initial business combination or without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer, (ii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, subject to applicable law or (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public shareholders. | ||
Ability to extend time to complete an initial business combination | We will have until the date that is 24 months from the closing of this offering to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within such completion window, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our articles to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for of an extension, holders of our public shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein and applicable law. Our initial shareholders will lose their entire investment in us, except to the extent they are entitled to receive distributions on the shares they own from assets outside the trust account, if any, upon our liquidation and winding up, if our initial business combination is not completed within the completion window unless we extend the amount of time we have to consummate an initial business combination by obtaining shareholder approval to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. While we do not currently intend to seek such shareholder approval, we may elect to do so in the future. There are no limitations on the number of extensions, including the number of times we may seek to extend. If we do not or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination, our sponsor’s investment in our founder shares and our private placement warrants will be worthless.
If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds, redeem 100% of the public shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and subject to the other requirements of applicable law. |
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Anticipated expenses and funding sources: | Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, no proceeds held in the trust account will be available for our use, except the withdrawal of interest to pay our taxes and/or to redeem our public shares in connection with an amendment to our articles, as described above. The proceeds held in the trust account will initially be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations; the holding of these assets in this form is intended to be temporary and for the sole purpose of facilitating the intended business combination and may at any time be held as cash or cash items, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank. We will disclose in each quarterly and annual report filed with the SEC prior to our initial business combination whether the proceeds deposited in the trust account are invested in U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds or a combination thereof or as cash or cash items, including in demand deposit accounts. | |||
● | Assuming that the proceeds held in the trust account are only invested in such money market funds at a current interest rate of [●]% per year, we estimate the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $[●] per year; however we can provide no assurances regarding this amount. Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, we may pay our expenses only from the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not held in the trust account, which initially will be approximately $1,530,000 in working capital after the payment of $5,000,000 in underwriting commissions and approximately $1,220,000 of other fees and expenses in connection with the closing of this offering; and | |||
● | any loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or their affiliates or other third parties, although they are under no obligation to advance funds or invest in us, and provided that any such loans will not have any claim on the proceeds held in the trust account unless such proceeds are released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercisability and exercise price. |
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Conditions to completing our initial business combination | Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding any deferred underwriters fees and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent valuation or appraisal firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it likely that our board of directors will be able to make such independent determination of fair market value, it may be unable to do so if the board of directors is less familiar or experienced with the target company’s business, there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the company’s assets or prospects, including if such company is at an early stage of development, operations or growth, or if the anticipated transaction involves a complex financial analysis or other specialized skills and the board of directors determines that outside expertise would be helpful or necessary in conducting such analysis. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We will complete our initial business combination only if the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or is otherwise not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity interests of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test, provided that in the event that the business combination involves more than one target business, the aggregate value of all of target business will be taken into account for purposes of the 80% fair market value test and we will treat the transactions together as our initial business combination for purposes of seeking shareholder approval or conducting a tender offer, as applicable. |
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Permitted purchases of public shares and public warrants by our affiliates | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions. If our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates engage in such transactions, they will be restricted from making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. See “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases of our securities” for a description of how our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase securities from in any private transaction. Our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates will not make any purchases if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act.
Additionally, in the event our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates were to purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders such purchases would be structured in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act including, in pertinent part, through adherence to the following: | |||
● | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would disclose the possibility that our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders outside the redemption process, along with the purpose of such purchases; | |||
● | if our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates were to purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders, they would do so at a price no higher than the price offered through our redemption process; | |||
● | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would include a representation that any of our securities purchased by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction; |
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● | our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates would not possess any redemption rights with respect to our securities or, if they do acquire and possess redemption rights, they would waive such rights; and | ||||
● | we would disclose in a Form 8-K, before our shareholder meeting to approve the business combination transaction, the following material items: | ||||
● |
the amount of our securities purchased outside of the redemption offer by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates, along with the purchase price; | ||||
● | the purpose of the purchases by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates; | ||||
● |
the impact, if any, of the purchases by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates on the likelihood that the business combination transaction will be approved; | ||||
● | The identities of our security holders who sold to our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates (if not purchased on the open market) or the nature of our security holders (e.g., 5% security holders) who sold to our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates; and | ||||
● | the number of our securities for which we have received redemption requests pursuant to our redemption offer. | ||||
Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted Purchases of Our Securities” for a description of how such persons will determine from which shareholders to seek to acquire securities.
The purpose of any such transaction could be to (i) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination, (ii) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding and/or increase the likelihood of approval on any matters submitted to public warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (iii) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our securities may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange. Please see “Risk Factors” – “If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may elect to purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our securities.” |
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Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. There will be no redemption rights in connection with the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Our initial shareholders, sponsor affiliates, sponsor, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares they hold and any public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors may acquire during or after this offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. |
Manner of conducting redemptions | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer.
The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements.
Asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our articles would require shareholder approval.
So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with Nasdaq’s shareholder approval rules.
The requirement that we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares by one of the two methods listed above will be contained in provisions of our articles and will apply whether or not we maintain our registration under the Exchange Act or our listing on Nasdaq. Such provisions may be amended if approved by a special resolution passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company.
If we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares in connection with a shareholder meeting, we will: |
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● | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and | |||
● | file proxy materials with the SEC. | |||
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, passed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company. In accordance with our articles, a quorum for such meeting will be present if the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote at the meeting are represented in person or by proxy. Our initial shareholders will count toward this quorum and, pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares have agreed to vote their founder shares and any public shares the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors purchased during or after this offering (including in open market and privately-negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination (except that any public shares such parties may purchase in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction). For purposes of seeking approval of an ordinary resolution, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need 9,375,001 or 37.5%, of the 25,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted, the over-allotment option is not exercised and the parties to the letter agreement do not acquire any public shares). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our articles, vote their ordinary shares at a general meeting of the company, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. However, if our initial business combination is structured as a statutory merger or consolidation with another company under Cayman Islands law, a special resolution passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company will need to be passed by our shareholders approving a plan of merger. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial shareholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or whether they do not vote or abstain from voting on the proposed transaction, or whether they were a public shareholder on the record date for the general meeting held to approve the proposed transaction. |
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If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will: | ||||
● | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and | |||
● | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about our initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. | |||
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than the number of shares we are permitted to redeem. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete such initial business combination.
Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we elect to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our public shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
We intend to require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their share certificates to our transfer agent or deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system, prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote, we intend to require a public shareholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the scheduled vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. The proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. We believe that this will allow our transfer agent to efficiently process any redemptions without the need for further communication or action from the redeeming public shareholders, which could delay redemptions and result in additional administrative cost. If the proposed initial business combination is not approved and we continue to search for a target company, we will promptly return any certificates or shares delivered by public shareholders who elected to redeem their shares. |
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Our proposed initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we may not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, and all public shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof. We may, however, raise funds through the issuance of equity-linked securities or through loans, advances or other indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop arrangements we may enter into following consummation of this offering, in order to, among other reasons, satisfy such minimum cash requirements. |
Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding 15% or more of the shares sold in this offering if we hold shareholder vote | Notwithstanding the foregoing redemption rights, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our articles will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, without our prior consent.
We believe the restriction described above will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to redeem their shares as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights against a business combination if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us, our sponsor or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem to no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including all shares held by those shareholders that hold more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering) for or against our initial business combination. |
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Release of funds in trust account on closing of our initial business combination | On the completion of our initial business combination, the funds held in the trust account will be used to pay amounts due to any public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights as described above under “Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination,” to pay all or a portion of the consideration payable to the target or owners of the target of our initial business combination and to pay other expenses associated with our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us following the closing from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital or other purposes. | |
Redemption of public shares and distribution and liquidation if no initial business combination | Our articles will provide that we will have only the duration of the completion window to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will constitute full and complete payment for the public shares and completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation or other distributions, if any), subject, in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and in all cases subject to the other requirements of applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants.
Our initial shareholders have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account if we subsequently liquidate and wind up.
However, if our initial shareholders or management team acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window. |
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Our initial shareholders, including our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, executive officers, directors, director nominees, and the consultant who owns founder shares have agreed, pursuant to a letter agreement, that they will not propose any amendment to our articles (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our public shares or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described above under “Limitations on redemptions.” | ||||
Redemption rights for public shareholders upon amendment of our articles | If we seek to amend our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the approval of such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein. For example, our board of directors may propose such an amendment if it determines that additional time is necessary to complete our initial business combination. In such event, we will conduct a proxy solicitation and distribute proxy materials pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act seeking shareholder approval of such proposal, and in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon shareholder approval of such amendment. | |||
Limited payments to insiders | Prior to or in connection with our initial business combination, we expect to make certain payments and reimbursements, to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, including but not limited to the following, which, if made prior to our initial business combination will be made from funds held outside the trust account: | |||
● | repayment of up to an aggregate of $300,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses; | |||
● | payment to our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees an aggregate of $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial, administrative, support and other related services provided to us and members of our management team; | |||
● | reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating, negotiating and completing an initial business combination; |
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● | repayment of loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercisability and exercise price. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans; and | |||
● | transfer or reallocation of founder shares or private placement warrants held by the sponsor to officers, directors, members of the sponsor or their respective affiliates, to be disclosed upon such transfers. | |||
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any such limits shall not apply to payments made by us following the closing of our initial business combination pursuant to the terms of a business combination agreement approved by our shareholders.
In addition, we have agreed, pursuant to the administrative services and indemnification agreement with our sponsor relating to the monthly payment for the services of [our sponsor/an affiliate of our sponsor] described above, that we will indemnify our sponsor from any claims arising out of or relating to this offering or the company’s operations or conduct of the company’s business or any claim against our sponsor alleging any expressed or implied management or endorsement by our sponsor of any of the company’s activities or any express or implied association between our sponsor, on the one hand, and the company or any of its other affiliates, on the other hand, which agreement will provide that the indemnified parties cannot access the funds held in our trust account. |
Audit Committee | We will establish and maintain an audit committee, which will be composed entirely of independent directors as and when required by Nasdaq rules and Rule 10A of the Exchange Act. Among its responsibilities, the audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates and monitor compliance with the other terms relating to this offering. If any noncompliance is identified, then the audit committee will be charged with the responsibility to promptly take all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise to cause compliance with the terms of this offering. For more information, see the section entitled “Management — Committees of the Board of Directors — Audit Committee.” | |
Conflicts of interest | Our officers and directors presently have and, in the future, may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such opportunity to such entity, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands Law. As a result, our sponsor, officers and directors could have conflicts of interest in determining whether to present business combination opportunities to us or to any other special purpose acquisition company with which they may become involved. |
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Our articles will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer or the sponsor shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us, and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which (a) may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a member of director, officer or sponsor to any other entity. The purpose for the surrender of corporate opportunities is to allow officers, directors or other representatives with multiple business affiliations to continue to serve as an officer of our company or on our board of directors. Our officers and directors may from time to time be presented with opportunities that could benefit both another business affiliation and us. In the absence of the “corporate opportunity” waiver in our articles, certain candidates would not be able to serve as an officer or director. We believe we substantially benefit from having representatives who bring significant, relevant and valuable experience to our management, and, as a result, the inclusion of the “corporate opportunity” waiver in our articles will provide us with greater flexibility to attract and retain the officers and directors that we feel are the best candidates. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business.
Certain members of our sponsor and our officers and directors may have similar responsibilities in, or serve as directors of other SPACs. Mr. You is serving as the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of dMY Squared. In addition, our sponsor, our officers and directors or any of their affiliates may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, we do not believe that such duties or obligations will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. With respect to dMY Squared, the type of transaction we would target would be of a nature different than what dMY Squared would target. For instance, although both we and dMY Squared may pursue an initial business combination target in any industry or geographic region, we plan to focus the target search of our company in AI, as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas, while dMY Squared intends to focus its search on companies within the professional service industry that provide accounting, legal, financial, advisory or other services to public companies or private companies that are in the process of becoming public companies. Even if both we and dMY Squared broaden the scope of search and choose to pursue targets in any industry or geographic region, our management team has significant experience in identifying and executing multiple acquisition opportunities simultaneously, and we believe there are multiple potential opportunities across all industries and geographic regions. Second, we have different timelines in completing a business combination. dMY Squared currently has until March 29, 2025 (which may be extended monthly up to 23 times for an additional one month each time to up to December 29, 2025, by resolution of the board of directors of dMY Squared) to complete a business combination. While we expect that dMY Squared will have priority over us with respect to acquisition opportunities, due to a shorter completion window for dMY Squared, a target that we pursue may not be a suitable target for dMY Squared because it may not be able to combine with dMY Squared before its deadline. Additionally, in February 2025, dMY Squared announced that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Horizon, a developer of advanced software development tools for quantum computers, with respect to its initial business combination. However, there is no guarantee that dMY Squared will be able to enter into a definitive business combination agreement with Horizon or, if such agreement is entered into, that it will ultimately be able to consummate a business combination with Horizon. With respect to companies other than dMY Squared, we do not believe the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors owed to such entities will materially affect our ability to complete an initial business combination, because such entities are not themselves in the business of engaging in business combinations. |
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Our officers and our directors may have interests that differ from you in connection with the business combination, including the fact that they may lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed, except to the extent they receive liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account, and accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination.
Additionally, the personal and financial interests of our directors and executive officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and pursuing an initial business combination or completing our initial business combination. For example, a prospective initial business combination with a shorter timeline to completion could cause our directors and executive officers to prioritize it over finding an even more attractive acquisition target which may be more difficult or time-intensive to consummate. Consequently, our directors’ and executive officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders’ best interest, which could negatively impact the timing for a business combination.
In addition to the above, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including selecting a business combination target and monitoring the related due diligence. See “Risk Factors — Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.”
Additionally, our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and executive officers and directors have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Further, our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and executive officers and directors have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares held by them if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window, the proceeds of the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares. With certain limited exceptions, the founder shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable by our sponsor or its permitted transferees until one year after the completion of our initial business combination. With certain limited exceptions, the private placement warrants and the ordinary shares underlying such warrants, will not be transferable, assignable or salable by our sponsor or its permitted transferees until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Since our sponsor and executive officers and directors may directly or indirectly own ordinary shares and warrants following this offering, our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination because of their financial interest in completing an initial business combination within the completion window. |
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Our sponsor and members of our management team will directly or indirectly own our securities following this offering, and accordingly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Our sponsor and sponsor affiliates (including Harry L. You, our Interim Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Chairman of the board of directors) paid a nominal aggregate purchase price of approximately $0.003 per share for the founder shares held by it. Accordingly, our management team, which owns interests in our sponsor and includes member directly owns founder shares, may be more willing to pursue a business combination with a riskier or less-established target business than would be the case if our sponsor and sponsor affiliates had paid the same per share price for the founder shares as our public shareholders paid for their public shares.
In the event our sponsor or members of our management team provide loans to us to finance transaction costs and/or incur expenses on our behalf in connection with an initial business combination, such persons may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination as such loans may not be repaid and/or such expenses may not be reimbursed unless we consummate such business combination. Additionally, subsequent to the closing of this offering and until the closing of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will pay our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees an aggregate of $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team. Since payment for such administrative services will be deferred and payable upon the closing of a business combination and will only be paid out of funds remaining outside of Trust Account, our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees who are to receive such deferred monthly payment may have similar conflicts of interests.
Similarly, if we agree to pay our sponsor, our officers or directors, our advisors, or affiliates thereof consulting, success, advisory, or finder’s fees in order to effectuate the completion of our initial business combination, such persons may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination as any such fee may not be paid unless we consummate such business combination. |
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers or complete the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, executive officers or directors; accordingly, such affiliated person(s) may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination as such affiliated person(s) would have interests different from our public shareholders and would likely not receive any financial benefit unless we consummated such business combination. In the event we seek to complete an initial business combination with a target that is an affiliate (as defined in our articles) of our sponsor, executive officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions stating that the consideration to be paid by us in such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. |
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Indemnity | Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us (except for the company’s independent auditors), or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target business. |
Additional Financings | We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering, the sale of the private placements warrants, our equity, debt or a combination of these as the consideration to be paid in our initial business combination. Generally, the issuance of additional shares in a business combination: | |||
● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering; | |||
● | may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares; |
● | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of our ordinary shares are issued; | |||
● | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control; and | |||
● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our ordinary shares. |
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We may also issue shares in private placement transactions (so-called PIPE transactions) in connection with our initial business combination, for instance in order to provide sufficient liquidity and capital to the post-business combination entity. As of the date of this prospectus, we have no commitments to issue any shares in connection with such a transaction. The price of the shares we may issue in such a transaction may be less, and potentially significantly less, than $10.00 per share or the market price for our shares at such time. Any such issuances of equity securities at a price that is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time could be structured to ensure a return on investment to the investors and could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders in a manner that would not ordinarily occur in a traditional initial public offering and could result in both a reduction in the trading price of our shares to the price at which we issue such equity securities and fluctuations in the net tangible book value per share of the combined company’s securities following the completion of our initial business combination. We may also provide price protection or other incentives, or issue convertible securities such as preferred equity or convertible debt, and the exercise or conversion price of those securities may be fixed or adjustable, and may be less, and potentially significantly less, than $10.00 per share or the market price for our shares at such time. Such issuances could also result in additional transaction costs related to our initial business combination compared to a traditional initial public offering, including the placement fees associated with the engagement of a placement agent in connection with PIPE transactions.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt, or to otherwise incur debt following this offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account. |
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Summary of Risk Factors
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in the section titled “Risk Factors,” alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Such risks include, but are not limited to:
● | We are a blank check company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective. |
● | Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, and even if we hold a vote, holders of our founder shares will participate in such vote, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination. |
● | Your only opportunity to effect your investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash. |
● | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial shareholders and management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote. |
● | The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target. |
● | The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure, and may substantially dilute your investment in us. |
● | The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the completion window may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders. |
● | Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by events that are outside of our control, such as increased geopolitical unrest, pandemic outbreaks (such as COVID-19), and volatility in the debt and equity markets. |
● | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may elect to purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our securities. |
● | If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for submitting or tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed. |
● | If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination or force us to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination. |
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● | The post-business combination company may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs. |
● | Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. |
● | You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss. |
● | Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions. |
● | The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant for the founder shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination, and the value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share. |
● | You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies. |
● | Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for attractive business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult and increase the cost for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are not able to complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on our redemption of their shares. |
● | Past performance by our management team, our advisors and their respective affiliates, including investments and transactions in which they have participated and businesses with which they have been associated, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the company. |
● | We may be a passive foreign investment company, or “PFIC,” which could result in adverse United States federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors. |
● | We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction, which may result in taxes imposed on shareholders or warrant holders. |
● | An investment in this offering may result in uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences. |
● | The 1% U.S. federal excise tax on stock buybacks could be imposed on redemptions of our stock if we were to become a “covered corporation” in the future. |
● | Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited. |
● | The other risk factors and uncertainties discussed in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. |
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The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included in this prospectus. We have not had any significant operations to date, so only balance sheet data is presented.
December 31,
2024 |
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Balance Sheet Data: | ||||
Working capital (deficiency) | $ | (963,290 | ) | |
Total assets | $ | 434,044 | ||
Total liabilities | $ | 997,334 | ||
Shareholders’ deficit | $ | (563,290 | ) |
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An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our units. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to Our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination
Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, and even if we hold a vote, holders of our founder shares will participate in such vote, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination.
We may choose not to hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination if the business combination would not require shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. Except for as required by applicable law or stock exchange requirement, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors, such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek shareholder approval. Even if we seek shareholder approval, the holders of our founder shares will participate in the vote on such approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if a majority of our public shareholders do not approve of the business combination we complete. Please see the section entitled “Proposed Business — Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination” for additional information.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial shareholders and management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Our initial shareholders will own 20% of our outstanding ordinary shares immediately following the completion of this offering. Our initial shareholders and management team also may from time-to-time purchase ordinary shares prior to our initial business combination. Our articles provide that, if we seek shareholder approval of an initial business combination, such initial business combination will be approved if we receive the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the voted at such meeting of the company. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need 9,375,001 or 37.5% of the 25,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted, the over-allotment option is not exercised and the parties to the letter agreement do not acquire any public shares). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our articles, vote their ordinary shares at a general meeting of the company, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. However, if our initial business combination is structured as a statutory merger or consolidation with another company under Cayman Islands law, a special resolution passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company will need to be passed by our shareholders approving a plan of merger. Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our initial shareholders and management team to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite shareholder approval for such initial business combination.
Your only opportunity to effect your investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash.
At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of our initial business combination. Since our board of directors may complete a business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination, unless we seek such shareholder vote. Accordingly, your only opportunity to effect your investment decision regarding our initial business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
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The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with minimum cash requirement for (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination.
Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would not allow us to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a business combination transaction with us.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure, and may substantially dilute your investment in us.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares is submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. As a result, our obligations to redeem public shares for which redemption is requested may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure and may result in substantial dilution from your purchase of our ordinary shares. The effect of this dilution will be greater for shareholders who do not redeem. We may not be able to generate sufficient value from the completion of our initial business combination in order to overcome the dilutive impact of these and other factors, and, accordingly, you may incur a net loss on your investment. Please see “ — Risks Relating to Our Securities — The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant for the founder shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination, and the value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share.”
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with your exercise of redemption rights until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
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The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the completion window may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within the completion window. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation. The length of time it may take us to complete our diligence and negotiate a business combination may reduce the amount of time available for us to ultimately complete an initial business combination should such diligence or negotiations not lead to a consummated initial business combination.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by events that are outside of our control, such as increased geopolitical unrest, pandemic outbreaks (such as COVID-19), and volatility in the debt and equity markets.
Our ability to find a potential target business and the business of any potential business with which we may consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected by events that are outside of our control. For example, geopolitical unrest (such as the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the military conflict in Israel and Gaza), including war, terrorist activity and acts of civil or international hostility are increasing. In particular, although the length, impact and outcome of the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine and the recent armed conflict between Israel and Hamas is highly unpredictable, these conflicts could lead to significant market and other disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices and supply of energy resources, instability in financial markets, supply chain interruptions, political and social instability, changes in consumer or purchaser preferences as well as increase in cyberattacks and espionage.
Similarly other events outside of our control, including natural disasters, climate-related events, pandemics or health crises (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) may arise from time to time, any such events may cause significant volatility and declines in the global markets, disproportionate impacts to certain industries or sectors, disruptions to commerce (including to economic activity, travel and supply chain), loss of life and property damage, and may adversely affect the global economy or capital markets, and the business of any potential target business with which we may consummate a business combination and could be materially adversely affected. In addition, our ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by these and other events, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity in third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable or at all.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, in which case we would redeem our public shares.
We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within the completion window. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period, we will: as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will constitute full and complete payment and completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions or other distributions, if any), subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
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Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account will be effected automatically by function of our articles prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to wind-up, liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond the duration of the completion window before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them, and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption or liquidation unless we seek shareholder approval to amend our articles either to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, or we consummate our initial business combination prior thereto and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their public shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we are unable to complete our initial business combination.
We may decide not to extend the term we have to consummate our initial business combination, in which case we would redeem our public shares.
We have until the end of the completion window to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within such period, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our articles to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. However, we may decide not to seek to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we do not seek to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination, and we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within the applicable time period, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the trust account, subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may elect to purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may reduce the public “float” of our securities.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares or warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market prior to the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgment that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares, is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights.
In the event that our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. It is intended that, if Rule 10b-18 would apply to purchases by sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates, then such purchases will comply with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, to the extent it applies, which provides a safe harbor for purchases made under certain conditions, including with respect to timing, pricing and volume of purchases.
Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares, rights or warrants in such transactions.
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The purpose of any such transactions could be to (i) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination, (ii) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding and/or increase the likelihood of approval on any matters submitted to the public warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (iii) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our securities may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. Additionally, in the event our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates were to purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders, such purchases would be structured in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act including, in pertinent part, through adherence to the following:
● | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would disclose the possibility that our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders outside the redemption process, along with the purpose of such purchases; |
● | if our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates were to purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders, they would do so at a price no higher than the price offered through our redemption process; |
● | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would include a representation that any of our securities purchased by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction; |
● | our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates would not possess any redemption rights with respect to our securities or, if they do acquire and possess redemption rights, they would waive such rights; and |
● | we would disclose in a Form 8-K, before our security holder meeting to approve the business combination transaction, the following material items: |
● | the amount of our securities purchased outside of the redemption offer by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates, along with the purchase price; |
● | the purpose of the purchases by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates; |
● | the impact, if any, of the purchases by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates on the likelihood that the business combination transaction will be approved; |
● | the identities of our security holders who sold to our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates (if not purchased on the open market) or the nature of our security holders (e.g., 5% security holders) who sold to our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates; and |
● | the number of our securities for which we have received redemption requests pursuant to our redemption offer. |
Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted Purchases of Our Securities” for a description of how such persons will determine from which shareholders to seek to acquire securities.
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If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for submitting or tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the proxy rules or tender offer rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or submit public shares for redemption. For example, we intend to require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their share certificates to our transfer agent, or to deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote, we intend to require a public shareholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the scheduled vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures disclosed in the proxy or tender offer materials, as applicable, its shares may not be redeemed. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Proposed Business — Manner of Conducting Redemptions.”
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of other blank check companies subject to Rule 419 of the Securities Act.
Since the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants are intended to be used to complete one or more initial business combinations with a target business or businesses that has not been selected, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we will be listed on a national securities exchange meeting certain quantitative requirements set out in Rule 3a51-1(a)(2) of the Exchange Act, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units will be immediately tradable and we will have a longer period of time to complete our respective initial business combinations than do companies subject to Rule 419.
Moreover, if this offering were subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination. For a more detailed comparison of our offering to offerings that comply with Rule 419, please see “Proposed Business — Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419.”
However, if we are not able to list our ordinary shares on Nasdaq or any other national stock exchange, and if we fail to have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001, we may be required to comply with the “penny stock rules” and this could negatively affect the market for our securities and our ability to complete an initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our ordinary shares, you may lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our articles will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a group (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
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Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for attractive business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult and increase the cost for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders.
We expect to encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess similar or greater technical, human and other resources to ours or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, we are obligated to offer holders of our public shares the right to redeem their shares for cash at the time of our initial business combination in conjunction with a shareholder vote or via a tender offer. Target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination.
In addition, in recent years, the number of special purpose acquisition companies that have been formed has increased substantially. Many potential targets for special purpose acquisition companies have already entered into an initial business combination, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies preparing for an initial public offering, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available to consummate an initial business combination. Because there are more special purpose acquisition companies seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause targets companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions, or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find and consummate an initial business combination, and may result in our inability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors altogether.
If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders.
If the net proceeds of this offering not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the duration of the completion window, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination, and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination.
Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of private placement warrants, only $1,530,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. We believe that, upon closing of this offering, the funds available to us outside of the trust account, together with funds available from loans from our sponsor, its affiliates or our management team will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the duration of the completion window; however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate, and our sponsor, its affiliates or our management team are under no obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or merger agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business.
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In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $1,220,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, unless funded by the proceeds of loans available from our sponsor, its affiliates or our management team, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $1,220,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount. The amount held in the trust account will not be impacted as a result of such increase or decrease. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercisability and exercise price. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor, as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive an estimated $10.00 per share, or possibly less, on our redemption of our public shares.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per- share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (except for our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will consider whether competitive alternatives are reasonably available to us and will only enter into an agreement with such third party if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be in the best interests of the company under the circumstances. The underwriters of this offering as well as our registered independent public accounting firm will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption.
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Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.00 per public share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us (except for the company’s independent auditors), or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per share and the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case less taxes payable, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.00 per public share.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy or insolvency court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy or insolvency laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy or insolvency court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages.
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If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination or force us to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
● | restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
● | restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. |
In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
● | registration as an investment company with the SEC; |
● | adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
● | reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that we are not subject to. |
In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless it can qualify for an exclusion, a company must ensure that it is engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading of securities and that its activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of its assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete a business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not intend to spend a considerable amount of time actively managing the assets in the trust account for the primary purpose of achieving investment returns. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.
We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account will only be held as cash or invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2 (a) (16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations; the holding of these assets in this form is intended to be temporary and for the sole purpose of facilitating the intended business combination and may at any time be held as cash or cash items, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank. Pursuant to the investment management trust agreement, the trustee will not be permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds in this manner, and by focusing our directors’ and officers’ time toward, and operating our business for the purpose of, acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund or investing in assets for the purpose of achieving
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investment returns on such assets), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. The offering is not intended for persons who are seeking a return on investments in government securities or investment securities. Instead, the trust account will be intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of either: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity; or (iii) absent an initial business combination within the completion window, our return of the funds held in the trust account to our public shareholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as described above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act.
Further, under the subjective test of a “investment company” pursuant to Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, even if the funds deposited in the trust account were invested in the assets discussed above (U.S. government securities or money market funds registered under the Investment Company Act), such assets, other than cash, are “securities” for purposes of the Investment Company Act and, therefore, nevertheless, there is a risk that we could be deemed an unregistered investment company and subject to the Investment Company Act at any time. If our circumstances change over time, we will update our disclosure to reflect how such changes impact the risk that we may be considered to be operating as an unregistered investment company.
In the adopting release for the 2024 SPAC Rules (as defined below), the SEC provided guidance that a SPAC’s potential status as an “investment company” depends on a variety of factors, such as a SPAC’s duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities and “is a question of facts and circumstances” requiring individualized analysis. If we were deemed to be an unregistered investment company and subject to compliance with and regulation under the Investment Company Act, we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and expenses for which we have not allotted funds. Unless we are able to modify our activities so that we would not be deemed an investment company, we would either register as an investment company or wind down and abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead liquidate the company. As a result, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders and would be unable to realize the potential benefits of an initial business combination, including the possible appreciation of the combined company’s securities.
To mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to liquidate the securities held in the trust account and instead to hold the funds in the trust account in cash until the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation. As a result, following the liquidation of securities in the trust account, the interest earned on the funds held in the trust account may be materially reduced, which would reduce the dollar amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the company.
We intend to initially hold the funds in the trust account as cash, including in an interest bearing bank demand deposit account or other accounts at a bank, or in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. government treasury obligations and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. U.S. government treasury obligations are considered “securities” for purposes of the Investment Company Act, while cash is not. As noted above, one of the factors the SEC identified as relevant to the determination of whether a SPAC which holds securities could potentially be deemed an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act is the SPAC’s duration. To mitigate the risk of us being deemed to be an unregistered investment company (including under the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act) and thus subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the trust account, to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held in the trust account and thereafter to hold all funds in the trust account in cash until the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination or liquidation of the company. Following such liquidation, the rate of interest we receive on the funds held in the trust account may be materially decreased. As a result, any decision to liquidate the securities held in the trust account and thereafter to hold all funds in the trust account in cash would reduce the dollar amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the company.
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Changes in laws or regulations or in how such laws or regulations are interpreted or applied, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are subject to rules and regulations enacted by various national, regional and local governing bodies, including for example, the SEC, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly and our efforts to comply with such new and evolving laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
On January 24, 2024, the SEC issued final rules (the “2024 SPAC Rules”), effective as of July 1, 2024, that formally adopted some of the SEC’s proposed rules for special purpose acquisition companies that were released on March 30, 2022. The 2024 SPAC Rules, among other items, impose additional disclosure requirements in initial public offerings by special purpose acquisition companies and business combination transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies and private operating companies; amend the financial statement requirements applicable to business combination transactions involving such companies; update and expand guidance regarding the general use of projections in SEC filings, as well as when projections are disclosed in connection with proposed business combination transactions; increase the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and could impact the extent to which special purpose acquisition companies could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act. The 2024 SPAC Rules may materially adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete, and the costs associated with, our initial business combination, and results of operations.
Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
If we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. We and our directors and officers who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offence and may be liable to a fine of $18,292.68 and to imprisonment for five years in the Cayman Islands.
We may not hold an annual general meeting until after the consummation of our initial business combination, which could delay the opportunity for our shareholders to appoint directors.
In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. Until we hold an annual general meeting, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to appoint directors and to discuss company affairs with management. Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual general meeting) serving a three-year term.
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Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
Our efforts to identify a prospective initial business combination target will not be limited to a particular industry, sector or geographic region. While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify and combine with a business or businesses that can benefit from our management team’s established relationships and operating experience. Our management team has extensive experience in identifying and executing strategic investments and has done so successfully in a number of sectors. While our focus is broad because of our perspective on technology and other growth industries having looked at over a thousand acquisition targets over the past decade, we will be examining in particular, opportunities in AI as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas. Our articles prohibit us from effectuating a business combination solely with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. In recent years, a number of target businesses have underperformed financially post-business combination, There are no assurances that the target business with which we consummate our initial business combination will perform as anticipated. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target.
Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Evolving regulatory requirements and increasing public and private scrutiny may adversely affect our search for potential opportunities in the AI industry with which to complete our initial business combination.
While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to examine in particular, opportunities in AI as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas. The regulation of AI and its broader application is a rapidly evolving topic amongst lawmakers and policymaking organizations. While comprehensive regulation around the existence, parameters, application and use cases for AI remain in its early stages, we expect that the regulatory environment governing AI platforms and activities will rapidly develop in the future and that a substantial amount of public and private scrutiny will be placed on artificial intelligence as a whole. Sweeping regulations, additional compliance and development costs, as well as the attention of government agencies and private organizations may have an adverse effect on potential investment opportunities in a target company. In addition, compliance with additional or revised rules and regulations in AI industry may make it harder, more time consuming and costly, and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete a business combination or otherwise impair our ability to complete a business combination with a target in AI industry.
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Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders.
We may not be required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from a valuation or appraisal firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the consideration we are paying for the business is fair to our company and its shareholders from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliate (as defined in our articles) of our sponsor, officers or directors, or our board of directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or from another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that the consideration we are paying is fair to our company and its shareholders from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt following this offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We and our officers have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
● | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
● | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
● | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand; |
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● | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding; |
● | our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares; |
● | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
● | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
● | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
● | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
The post-business combination company may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs.
In connection with our initial business combination, the post-business combination company may issue shares to investors in private placement transactions (so-called PIPE transactions) in order to complete an initial business combination and provide sufficient liquidity and capital to the post-business combination entity. The price of the shares so issued in connection with an initial business combination may be less, and potentially significantly less, than $10.00 per share or the market price for our shares at such time. Any such issuances of equity securities at a price that is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time could be structured to ensure a return on investment to the investors and could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders in a manner that would not ordinarily occur in a traditional initial public offering and could result in both a reduction in the trading price of our shares to the price at which the post-business combination company issues such equity securities and fluctuations in the net tangible book value per share of the combined company’s securities following the completion of our initial business combination. The post-business combination company may also provide price protection or other incentives, or issue convertible securities such as preferred equity or convertible debt, and the exercise or conversion price of those securities may be fixed or adjustable, and may be less, and potentially significantly less, than $10.00 per share or the market price for our shares at such time. Such issuances could also result in additional transaction costs related to our initial business combination compared to a traditional initial public offering, including the placement fees associated with the engagement of a placement agent in connection with PIPE transactions.
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.
The net proceeds from this offering and the private placement of warrants will provide us with $250,000,000 (or $287,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) that we may use to complete our initial business combination (after taking into account the $5,000,000 of underwriting commissions payable at the closing of this offering, an estimated $1,220,000 of other offering expenses, and excluding approximately $1,530,000 held outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements).
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We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
● | solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset, or |
● | dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our business combination strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete our initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders do not agree.
Our articles do not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold although any agreement in connection with our initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares in connection with such initial business combination, all public shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
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In order to effectuate an initial business combination, special purpose acquisition companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our articles or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate a business combination, special purpose acquisition companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, special purpose acquisition companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our articles will require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company, and amending our warrant agreement will require a vote of holders of at least 50% of the public warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the private placement warrants, 50% of the number of the then outstanding private placement warrants. In addition, our articles require us to provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of the securities offered through this registration statement, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our charter or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.
The provisions of our articles that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account) may be amended with the approval of holders of not less than two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other special purpose acquisition companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our articles to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Our articles will provide that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the private placement of warrants into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein) and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by special resolution, under Cayman Islands law passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or represented by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company. Our initial shareholders, who will collectively beneficially own 20% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering), will participate in any vote to amend our articles and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our articles which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other special purpose acquisition companies, and this may increase our ability to complete a business combination with which you do not agree. Our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our articles.
Our sponsor, officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our articles otherwise than for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our public shares or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. Our shareholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, officers, directors or director nominees for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our shareholders would need to pursue a shareholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.
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Certain agreements related to this offering may be amended without shareholder approval.
Each of the agreements related to this offering to which we are a party, other than the warrant agreement and the investment management trust agreement, may be amended without shareholder approval. Such agreements are: the underwriting agreement; the letter agreement among us and our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors, and consultant; the registration rights agreement among us and our initial shareholders; the private placement warrants purchase agreement between us and our sponsor; and the administrative services agreement among us, our sponsor and an affiliate of our sponsor. These agreements contain various provisions that our public shareholders might deem to be material. For example, our letter agreement and the underwriting agreement contain certain lock-up provisions with respect to the founder shares, private placement warrants and other securities held by our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors. Amendments to such agreements would require the consent of the applicable parties thereto and would need to be approved by our board of directors, which may do so for a variety of reasons, including to facilitate our initial business combination. While we do not expect our board of directors to approve any amendment to any of these agreements prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board of directors, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to any such agreement. Any amendment entered into in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to such initial business combination, and any other material amendment to any of our material agreements will be disclosed in a filing with the SEC. Any such amendments would not require approval from our shareholders, may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible, and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities. For example, amendments to the lock-up provision discussed above may result in our initial shareholders selling their securities earlier than they would otherwise be permitted, which may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.
We have not selected any specific business combination target but intend to target businesses with enterprise values that are greater than we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants. As a result, if the cash portion of the purchase price exceeds the amount available from the trust account, net of amounts needed to satisfy any redemption by public shareholders, we may be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. Further, we may be required to obtain additional financing in connection with the closing of our initial business combination for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, or to fund the purchase of other companies. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination.
Our initial shareholders control a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Upon closing of this offering, our initial shareholders will own 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering). Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our articles.
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If our initial shareholders purchase any units in this offering or if our initial shareholders purchase any additional public shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Neither our initial shareholders nor, to our knowledge, any of our officers or directors, have any current intention to purchase additional securities, other than as disclosed in this prospectus.
Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our ordinary shares. In addition, our board of directors, whose members were appointed by our sponsor, is and will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term for three years with only one class of directors being appointed in each year. We may not hold an annual or extraordinary general meeting to appoint new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the business combination. If there is an annual general meeting, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for appointment and our initial shareholders, because of their ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. Accordingly, our initial shareholders will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination.
We may not be able to complete an initial business combination since such initial business combination may be subject to regulatory review and approval requirement, including foreign investment regulations and review by government entities such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or may be ultimately prohibited.
Our initial business combination may be subject to regulatory review and approval requirements by governmental entities, or ultimately prohibited. For example, CFIUS has authority to review direct or indirect foreign investments in U.S. companies. Among other things, CFIUS is empowered to require certain foreign investors to make mandatory filings, to charge filing fees related to such filings, and to self-initiate national security reviews of foreign direct and indirect investments in U.S. companies if the parties to that investment choose not to file voluntarily. In the case that CFIUS determines an investment to be a threat to national security, CFIUS has the power to unwind or place restrictions on the investment. Whether CFIUS has jurisdiction to review an acquisition or investment transaction depends on — among other factors — the nature and structure of the transaction, including the level of beneficial ownership interest and the nature of any information or governance rights involved. For example, investments that result in “control” of a U.S. business by a foreign person always are subject to CFIUS jurisdiction. CFIUS’s expanded jurisdiction under the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 and implementing regulations that became effective on February 13, 2020 further includes investments that do not result in control of a U.S. business by a foreign person but afford certain foreign investors certain information or governance rights in a U.S. business that has a nexus to “critical technologies,” “critical infrastructure” and/or “sensitive personal data.”
Our sponsor will own approximately 20.0% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares following this offering. Our sponsor is exclusively “controlled” for CFIUS purposes by Mr. You, who is a U.S. citizen, and thus we do not believe that our sponsor is a “foreign person” as defined in the CFIUS regulations. However, it is possible that non-U.S. persons could be involved in our initial business combination (e.g., as existing shareholders of a target company or as PIPE investors), which may increase the risk that our initial business combination becomes subject to regulatory review, including review by CFIUS. As such, an initial business combination with a U.S. business or foreign business with U.S. subsidiaries that we may wish to pursue may be subject to CFIUS review. If a particular proposed initial business combination with a U.S. business falls within CFIUS’s jurisdiction, we may determine that we are required to make a mandatory filing or that we will submit to CFIUS review on a voluntary basis, or to proceed with the transaction without submitting to CFIUS and risk CFIUS intervention, before or after closing the transaction. CFIUS may decide to block or delay our proposed initial business combination, impose conditions with respect to such initial business combination or request the President of the United States to order us to divest all or a portion of the U.S. target business of our initial business combination that we acquired without first obtaining CFIUS approval, which may limit the attractiveness of, delay or prevent us from pursuing certain target companies that we believe would otherwise be beneficial to us and our shareholders. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial business combination may be limited and we may be adversely affected in terms of competing with other special purpose acquisition companies which do not have any foreign ownership issues. In addition, certain federally licensed businesses may be subject to rules or regulations that limit foreign ownership.
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The process of government review, whether by CFIUS or otherwise, could be lengthy. Because we have only a limited time to complete our initial business combination, our failure to obtain any required approvals within the requisite time period may require us to abandon our initial business combination. If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within the applicable time period required under our articles, including as a result of extended regulatory review of a potential initial business combination, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the trust account, subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. In such event, our shareholders will miss the opportunity to benefit from an investment in a target company and the appreciation in value of such investment.
Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The federal proxy rules require that the proxy statement with respect to the vote on an initial business combination include historical and pro forma financial statement disclosure. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”). These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an initial business combination.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2026. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target business with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.
We may seek business combination opportunities with a high degree of complexity that require significant operational improvements, which could delay or prevent us from achieving our desired results.
We may seek business combination opportunities with large, highly complex companies that we believe would benefit from operational improvements. While we intend to implement such improvements, to the extent that our efforts are delayed or we are unable to achieve the desired improvements, the business combination may not be as successful as we anticipate.
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To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a large complex business or entity with a complex operating structure, we may also be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine, which could delay or prevent us from implementing our strategy. Although our management team will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business and its operations, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors until we complete our business combination. If we are not able to achieve our desired operational improvements, or the improvements take longer to implement than anticipated, we may not achieve the gains that we anticipate. Furthermore, some of these risks and complexities may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks and complexities will adversely impact a target business. Such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a smaller, less complex organization.
Our initial business combination and our structure thereafter may not be tax-efficient to our shareholders and warrant holders. As a result of our business combination, our tax obligations may be more complex, burdensome and uncertain.
Although we will attempt to structure our initial business combination in a tax-efficient manner, tax structuring considerations are complex, the relevant facts and law are uncertain and may change, and we may prioritize commercial and other considerations over tax considerations. For example, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to any requisite shareholder approval, we may structure our business combination in a manner that requires shareholders and/or warrant holders to recognize gain or income for tax purposes, effect a business combination with a target company in another jurisdiction, or reincorporate in a different jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located). We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders or warrant holders to pay taxes in connection with our business combination or thereafter. Accordingly, a shareholder or a warrant holder may need to satisfy any liability resulting from our initial business combination with cash from its own funds or by selling all or a portion of the shares or warrants received. In addition, shareholders and warrant holders may also be subject to additional income, withholding or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after our initial business combination.
In addition, we may effect a business combination with a target company that has business operations outside of the United States, and possibly, business operations in multiple jurisdictions. If we effect such a business combination, we could be subject to significant income, withholding and other tax obligations in a number of jurisdictions with respect to income, operations and subsidiaries related to those jurisdictions. Due to the complexity of tax obligations and filings in other jurisdictions, we may have a heightened risk related to audits or examinations by U.S. federal, state and local and non-U.S. taxing authorities. This additional complexity and risk could have an adverse effect on our after-tax profitability and financial condition.
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Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company
Subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and the price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will identify all material issues that may be present with a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining debt financing to partially finance the initial business combination or thereafter. Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of our securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Resources could be wasted in researching business combinations that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination, and a particular business combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with our company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law.
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We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target business’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target business’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new ordinary shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target.
However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain control of the target business.
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Risks Relating to Acquiring and Operating a Business in Foreign Countries
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may adversely affect us.
If we pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we may face additional burdens in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing such initial business combination, and if we effect such initial business combination, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we pursue a target a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we would be subject to risks associated with cross-border business combinations, including in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing our initial business combination, conducting due diligence in a foreign jurisdiction, having such transaction approved by any local governments, regulators or agencies and changes in the purchase price based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
If we effect our initial business combination with such a company, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:
● | costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations; |
● | rules and regulations regarding currency redemption; |
● | complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
● | laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
● | exchange listing and/or delisting requirements; |
● | tariffs and trade barriers; |
● | regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
● | local or regional economic policies and market conditions; |
● | unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; |
● | challenges in managing and staffing international operations; |
● | longer payment cycles; |
● | tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
● | currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
● | rates of inflation; |
● | challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
● | cultural and language differences; |
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● | employment regulations; |
● | underdeveloped or unpredictable legal or regulatory systems; |
● | corruption; |
● | protection of intellectual property; |
● | social unrest, crime, strikes, riots and civil disturbances; |
● | regime changes and political upheaval; |
● | terrorist attacks, natural disasters, widespread health emergencies and wars; and |
● | deterioration of political relations with the United States. |
We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, we may be unable to complete such initial business combination, or, if we complete such initial business combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If social unrest, acts of terrorism, regime changes, changes in laws and regulations, political upheaval or policy changes or enactments occur in a country in which we may operate after we effect our initial business combination, it may result in a negative impact on our business.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, political events in another country may significantly affect our business, assets or operations. Social unrest, acts of terrorism, regime changes, changes in laws and regulations, political upheaval, and policy changes or enactments could negatively impact our business in a particular country.
Many countries have difficult and unpredictable legal systems and underdeveloped laws and regulations that are unclear and subject to corruption and inexperience, which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, our ability to seek and enforce legal protections, including with respect to intellectual property and other property rights, or to defend ourselves with regard to legal actions taken against us in a given country, may be difficult or impossible, which could adversely impact our operations, assets or financial condition.
Rules and regulations in many countries are often ambiguous or open to differing interpretation by responsible individuals and agencies at the municipal, state, regional and federal levels. The attitudes and actions of such individuals and agencies are often difficult to predict and inconsistent.
Delay with respect to the enforcement of particular rules and regulations, including those relating to customs, tax, environmental and labor, could cause serious disruption to operations abroad and negatively impact our results.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the United States or with a company that is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may adversely affect us.
Following our initial business combination, our management may resign from their positions as officers or directors of the company and the existing management of the target business at the time of the business combination may remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with United States securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
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After our initial business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers will live outside the United States and all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore, investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.
It is possible that after our initial business combination, a majority of our directors and officers will reside outside of the United States and all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under United States laws.
After our initial business combination, substantially all of our assets may be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue will be derived from our operations in such country. Accordingly, our results of operations and prospects will be subject, to a significant extent, to the economic, political and legal policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate.
The economic, political and social conditions, as well as government policies, of the country in which our operations are located could affect our business. Economic growth could be uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy and such growth may not be sustained in the future. If in the future such country’s economy experiences a downturn or grows at a slower rate than expected, there may be less demand for spending in certain industries. A decrease in demand for spending in certain industries could materially and adversely affect our ability to find an attractive target business with which to consummate our initial business combination and if we effect our initial business combination, the ability of that target business to become profitable.
Exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, and the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we are able to consummate such transaction.
We may reincorporate in or transfer by way of continuation to another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, and the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may relocate the home jurisdiction of our business from the Cayman Islands to another jurisdiction. If we determine to do this, the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital.
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Risks Relating to Our Management Team
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and to not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Members of our management team and board of directors have significant experience as board members, officers or executives of other companies. As a result, certain of those persons have been, may be, or may become, involved in proceedings, investigations and litigation relating to the business affairs of the companies with which they were, are, or may in the future be, affiliated. This may have an adverse effect on us, which may impede our ability to consummate an initial business combination.
During the course of their careers, members of our management team and board of directors have had significant experience as board members, officers or executives of other companies. As a result of their involvement and positions in these companies, certain persons were, are now, or may in the future become, involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings relating to the business affairs of such companies or transactions entered into by such companies. Such claims, and any such litigation, investigations or other proceedings may divert our management team’s and board’s attention and resources away from identifying and selecting a target business or businesses for our initial business combination and may negatively affect our reputation, which may impede our ability to complete an initial business combination. Such involvement has, and may lead to, media coverage and public awareness. Any such claims or investigations may be detrimental to our reputation and could negatively affect our ability to identify and complete an initial business combination and may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.
Past performance by our management team and their affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management team or businesses associated with them is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of the performance of our management team’s or businesses associated with them as indicative of our future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or is likely to, generate going forward.
We may seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise.
We will consider a business combination outside of our management’s areas of expertise if a business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our company. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in this offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination candidate. In the event we elect to pursue a business combination outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this prospectus regarding the areas of our management’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to ascertain or assess adequately all of the relevant risk factors. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
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We are dependent upon our officers and directors and their loss, or a reduction in the amount of time they can dedicate to our initial business combination, could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our officers and directors and the members of our advisory board. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers, directors and members of our advisory board, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
We may approve an amendment or waiver of the letter agreement that would allow our sponsor to directly, or members of our sponsor to indirectly, transfer founder shares and private placement warrants or membership interests in our sponsor in a transaction in which the sponsor removes itself as our sponsor before identifying a business combination, which may deprive us of key personnel.
While there is no current intention to do so, and the members of our management team and sponsor have not done so with any previously formed special purpose acquisition companies, we may approve an amendment or waiver of the letter agreement that would allow the sponsor to directly, or members of our sponsor to indirectly, transfer founder shares and private placement warrants or membership interests in our sponsor in a transaction in which the sponsor removes itself as our sponsor before identifying a business combination. Additionally, subject to the consent of the manager of our sponsor (Harry You), there is no contractual restriction on the ability of the members of the sponsor to share, sell or otherwise dispose of part or all of the membership interests in our sponsor, including the membership interests held by Harry You, our Interim Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Chairman of the board of directors. As a result, there is a risk that our sponsor and our officers and directors may divest their ownership or economic interests in us or in our sponsor, which would likely result in our loss of certain key personnel, including Harry You. Additionally, there can be no assurance that any replacement sponsor or key personnel will successfully identify a business combination target for us, or, even if one is so identified, successfully complete such business combination.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination, and a particular business combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with our company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law.
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Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our officers is engaged in other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. [Our independent directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities.] If our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see “Management — Officers, Directors and Director Nominees.”
Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including blank check companies, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Following the completion of this offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our sponsor, its managing members, and our officers and directors are, and in the future may become, affiliated with such entities (such as operating companies or investment vehicles) that are engaged in a similar business. We do not have employment contracts with our officers and directors that will limit their ability to work at other businesses. Our officers and directors presently and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entities. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our articles provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer or sponsor shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us, and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which (a) may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a member of director, officer or sponsor to any other entity. The purpose for the surrender of corporate opportunities is to allow officers, directors or other representatives with multiple business affiliations to continue to serve as an officer of our company or on our board of directors. Our officers and directors may from time to time be presented with opportunities that could benefit both another business affiliation and us. In the absence of the “corporate opportunity” waiver in our articles, certain candidates would not be able to serve as an officer or director. We believe we substantially benefit from having representatives who bring significant, relevant and valuable experience to our management, and, as a result, the inclusion of the “corporate opportunity” waiver in our articles provides us with greater flexibility to attract and retain the officers and directors that we feel are the best candidates. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business.
In addition, our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies with acquisition objectives that are similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. As a result, our sponsor, officers and directors could have conflicts of interest in determining whether to present business combination opportunities to us or to any other special purpose acquisition company with which they may become involved. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination target. However, based on the fact that we have different timelines in completing a business combination, that we plan to focus the target search of our company in AI, as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas, and that the type of transaction we would target would be of a nature different than what they would target, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
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Further, certain members of our management team may have similar responsibilities in, or serve as directors of, other SPACs. Mr. You is also serving as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of dMY Squared. Any such companies may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target. For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see “Management — Officers, Directors and Director Nominees,” “Management — Conflicts of Interest” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or officers. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination target. However, based on the fact that we have different timelines in completing a business combination, that we plan to focus the target search of our company in AI, as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas, and that the type of transaction we would target would be of a nature different than what they would target, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. For example, a prospective initial business combination with a shorter timeline to completion could cause our directors and executive officers to prioritize it over finding an even more attractive acquisition target which may be more difficult or time-intensive to consummate. Consequently, our directors’ and officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders’ best interest. If this were the case, it would be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Cayman Islands law and we or our shareholders might have a claim against such individuals for infringing on our shareholders’ rights. See the section titled “Description of Securities — Certain Differences in Corporate Law — Shareholders’ Suits” for further information on the ability to bring such claims. However, we might not ultimately be successful in any claim we may make against them for such reason.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under “Management — Conflicts of Interest.” Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no substantive discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for a business combination as set forth in “Proposed Business — Business Combination Criteria” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or from another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that the consideration we are paying is fair to our company and its shareholders from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
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We may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, which may include acting as financial advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. These financial incentives may cause them to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, identifying potential targets, providing financial advisory services, acting as a placement agent in a private offering or arranging debt financing. We may pay such underwriter or its affiliate fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters or their respective affiliates and no fees or other compensation for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters or their respective affiliates prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriters’ compensation in connection with this offering. The underwriters’ or their respective affiliates’ financial interests that are tied to the consummation of a business combination transaction may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
Since our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors, any other holder of our founder shares, including any non-managing sponsor investors, and the underwriters will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed (other than with respect to public shares they may acquire during or after this offering), a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
In November 2024, our sponsor and sponsor affiliates paid $23,956.52 for an aggregate of 6,887,500 ordinary shares (up to 937,500 of which will be surrendered to us for no consideration after the closing of this offering depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and a consultant paid $1,043.48 for an aggregate of 300,000 ordinary shares (none of which are subject to forfeiture in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option), for a total of 7,187,500 ordinary shares issued for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share. The “sponsor affiliates” include Harry You, who acts as our Chairman of the board of directors and the managing member of the Sponsor, and Robert You, adult son of Harry You and the Vice President of Corporate Development of the company. Both Messrs. You directly own membership interests in our sponsor. Out of the total 6,887,500 founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates, the sponsor, Harry You and Robert You each directly holds 2,575,000, 2,300,000 and 2,012,500 founder shares, respectively, each purchased at approximately $0.003 per share. Prior to such initial investment in the company, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued.
The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation at the time that the total size of this offering would be a maximum of 28,750,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. Up to 937,500 of the founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates will be forfeited depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. In addition, our sponsor and the underwriter have committed to purchase an aggregate of 7,750,000 private placement warrants (including if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), each exercisable to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, or $7,750,000 in the aggregate, in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Of those 7,750,000 private placement warrants, our sponsor has agreed to purchase 4,000,000 private placement warrants and the underwriters have agreed to purchase 3,750,000 private placement warrants. The personal and financial interests of our officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination. This risk may become more acute as the end of the completion window nears, which is the deadline for our completion of an initial business combination.
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Risks Relating to Our Securities
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) in connection with our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those public shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the completion window, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In addition, if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the completion window, we will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds, redeem 100% of the public shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned thereon (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We intend to apply to have our units listed on Nasdaq. We expect that our units will be listed on Nasdaq on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. Following the date that the ordinary shares and warrants are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that the ordinary shares and warrants will be separately listed on Nasdaq. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in Nasdaq listing standards, we cannot assure you that our securities will continue to be listed on Nasdaq in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on Nasdaq prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and share price levels.
Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with Nasdaq’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on Nasdaq. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
● | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
● | reduced liquidity for our securities; |
● | a determination that our ordinary shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
● | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
● | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
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The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our units and eventually our ordinary shares and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq, our units, ordinary shares and warrants will qualify as covered securities under the statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not qualify as covered securities under the statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant for the founder shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination, and the value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share.
While we are offering our ordinary shares at an offering price of $10.00 per share and the amount in our trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share, implying an initial value of $10.00 per public share, our initial shareholders, prior to this offering, paid only a nominal aggregate purchase price of $25,000 for 7,187,500 founder shares (including 937,500 founder shares subject to forfeiture by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters), or approximately $0.003 per share. As a result, the value of your public shares may be significantly diluted upon the consummation of our initial business combination, when the founder shares are converted into public shares. For example, the following table shows the dilutive effect of the founder shares on the implied value of the public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination assuming that our equity value at that time is $250,000,000, which is the amount we would have for our initial business combination in the trust account assuming the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised, no interest is earned on the funds held in the trust account, and no public shares are redeemed in connection with our initial business combination. At such valuation, each of our ordinary shares would have an implied value of $8.00 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, which is a 20.0% decrease as compared to the initial implied value per public share of $10.00.
Public shares | 25,000,000 | |||
Founder shares | 6,250,000 | |||
Total shares | 31,250,000 | |||
Total funds in trust available for initial business combination(1) | $ | 250,000,000 | ||
Implied value per share upon consummation of initial business combination(1)(2) | $ | 8 | ||
Public shareholders’ investment per share | $ | 10.00 | ||
Investment of the sponsor and sponsor affiliates per share(3) | $ | 0.68 |
(1) | Does not take into account other potential impacts on our valuation at the time of the business combination, such as the trading price of our public shares, the terms of the business combination transaction (including any equity issued to or retained by, or cash or other consideration paid to, the target’s shareholder or other third parties), the business combination transaction costs, or the target’s business itself, including its assets, liabilities, management and prospects. For instance, the potential dilution experienced by holders of our ordinary shares may be mitigated if the business combination agreement is structured such that the potential dilutive impact of the founder shares is borne by all shareholders in the pro forma company. | |
(2) | Note that redemptions of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination would further reduce the implied value of our ordinary shares. For instance, in this example, if 50% of the public shares were redeemed in connection with our initial business combination, the implied value per ordinary share would be $6.67. | |
(3) | The total investment of the sponsor and sponsor affiliates in the equity of the company, inclusive of the founder shares and the sponsor’s $4,000,000 investment in the private placement warrants, is $4,023,956.52. |
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Upon the closing of this offering, our sponsor (including sponsor affiliates) will have invested in us an aggregate of $4,023,956.52, comprised of the $23,956.52 purchase price for the founder shares and the $4,000,000 purchase price for the private placement warrants. Assuming a trading price of $10.00 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, the 6,250,000 founder shares (assuming no exercise of the overallotment option and the forfeiture of 937,500 founder shares) would have an aggregate implied value of $62,500,000. Assuming no additional shares are issued upon exercise of any warrants held by the sponsor, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares were as low as $0.64 per share, the value of the founder shares would be equal to the initial investment of the sponsor (including sponsor affiliates) in us. As a result, our sponsor and sponsor affiliates are likely to be able to make a substantial profit on its investment in us at a time when our public shares have lost significant value. Accordingly, our management team, which owns interests in our sponsor and includes member directly owns founder shares, may be more willing to pursue a business combination with a riskier or less-established target business than would be the case if our sponsor and sponsor affiliates had paid the same per share price for the founder shares as our public shareholders paid for their public shares.
You will not be permitted to exercise your warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying ordinary shares or certain exemptions are available.
If the issuance of the ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, holders of warrants will not be entitled to exercise such warrants and such warrants may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the ordinary shares included in the units.
We are registering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part because the warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, which may be within one year of this offering. However, because the warrants will be exercisable until their expiration date of up to five years after the completion of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act following the consummation of our initial business combination under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed that, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days, after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part or a new registration statement covering the registration under the Securities Act of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our best efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order.
If the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, under the terms of the warrant agreement, holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do so for cash and, instead, will be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption.
In no event will warrants be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration or qualification is available.
If our ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, not permit holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants to do so for cash and, instead, require them to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act; in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement or register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws, and in the event we do not so elect, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
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In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities (other than upon a cashless exercise as described above) or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.
You may only be able to exercise your public warrants on a “cashless basis” under certain circumstances, and if you do so, you will receive fewer ordinary shares from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
The warrant agreement provides that in the following circumstances holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do for cash and will, instead, be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act: (i) if the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act in accordance with the terms of the warrant agreement; if we have so elected and the ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act; and (iii) if we have so elected and we call the public warrants for redemption. If you exercise your public warrants on a cashless basis, you would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” of our ordinary shares (as defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” is the average reported closing price of the ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is received by the warrant agent or on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants, as applicable. As a result, you would receive fewer ordinary shares from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
The grant of registration rights to our initial shareholders and holders of our private placement warrants may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our ordinary shares.
Pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the founder shares, holders of our private placement warrants and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the private placement warrants and the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants and holders of warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans may demand that we register such warrants or the ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of such warrants. The registration rights will be exercisable with respect to the founder shares, the private placement warrants and the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such private placement warrants. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our ordinary shares that is expected when the ordinary shares owned by our initial shareholders, holders of our private placement warrants or holders of our working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
We may issue additional ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our articles authorize the issuance of up to 550,000,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 5,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001 per share. Immediately after this offering, there will be 518,750,000 (assuming that the underwriters have not exercised their over-allotment option and the forfeiture of 937,500 founder shares) authorized but unissued ordinary shares available for issuance.
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We have not selected any specific business combination target but may target businesses with enterprise values that are greater than what we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants. We may need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, or to fund the operations or growth of the target business, in the form of equity or debt financing. Although we have no commitment as of the date of this offering, we may issue a substantial number of additional ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. However, our articles will provide, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares on any initial business combination. These provisions of our articles, like all provisions of our articles, may be amended with a shareholder vote. The issuance of additional ordinary shares or preference shares:
● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering; |
● | may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares; |
● | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; |
● | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; |
● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, ordinary shares and/or warrants; and |
● | may not result in adjustment to the exercise price of our warrants. |
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder for the purpose of (i) curing any ambiguity or to correct any defective provision or mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in this prospectus, (ii) adjusting the provisions relating to cash dividends on ordinary shares as contemplated by and in accordance with the warrant agreement or (iii) adding or changing any provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the warrant agreement as the parties to the warrant agreement may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem to not adversely affect the rights of the registered holders of the warrants, provided that the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then-outstanding public warrants is required to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder of public warrants if holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash or shares, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
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A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
If (i) we issue additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share, (ii) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (iii) the Market Value of our ordinary shares is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under “Description of Securities — Warrants — Public Warrants — Redemption of public warrants for cash” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
We may redeem your unexpired public warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem all of the outstanding public warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the closing price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like and for certain issuances of ordinary shares and equity- linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination as described elsewhere in this prospectus) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption provided that on the date we give notice of redemption. We will not redeem the public warrants unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering issuance of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the public warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day measurement period, except if the public warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. If and when the public warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of the public warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify such ordinary shares under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which warrants were offered by us in this offering. Redemption of the outstanding public warrants could force you to (1) exercise your public warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) sell your public warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding public warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your public warrants.
Our warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We will be issuing warrants to purchase 12,500,000 ordinary shares (or up to 14,375,000 ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) as part of the units offered by this prospectus and, simultaneously with the closing of this offering, we will be issuing in a private placement an aggregate of 7,750,000 private placement warrants, at $1.00 per warrant. In addition, if our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors makes any working capital loans, such lender may convert those loans into up to an additional 1,500,000 private placement warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant.
To the extent we issue ordinary shares to effectuate a business transaction, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional ordinary shares upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle to a target business. Such warrants, when exercised, will increase the number of issued and outstanding ordinary shares and reduce the value of the ordinary shares issued to complete the business transaction. Therefore, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate a business transaction or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
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Because each unit contains one-half of one warrant and only a whole warrant may be exercised, the units may be worth less than units of other special purpose acquisition companies.
Each unit contains one-half of one warrant. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, no fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units, and only whole units will trade. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of ordinary shares to be issued to the warrant holder. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one ordinary share and one warrant to purchase one whole share. We have established the components of the units in this way in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of a business combination since the warrants will be exercisable in the aggregate for one-half of the number of shares compared to units that each contain a whole warrant to purchase one share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive merger partner for target businesses. Nevertheless, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if it included a warrant to purchase one whole share.
Our warrant agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our warrant agreement will provide that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. With respect to any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, we note, however, that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce this provision and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for state and federal courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions of the warrant agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
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The determination of the offering price of our units, the size of this offering and terms of the units is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities and size of an offering of an operating company in a particular industry. You may have less assurance, therefore, that the offering price of our units properly reflects the value of such units than you would have in a typical offering of an operating company.
Prior to this offering there has been no public market for any of our securities. The public offering price of the units and the terms of the warrants were negotiated between us and the underwriters. In determining the size of this offering, management held customary organizational meetings with representatives of the underwriters, both prior to our inception and thereafter, with respect to the state of capital markets, generally, and the amount the underwriters believed they reasonably could raise on our behalf. Factors considered in determining the size of this offering, prices and terms of the units, including the ordinary shares and warrants underlying the units, include:
● | the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies; |
● | prior offerings of those companies; |
● | our prospects for acquiring an operating business at attractive values; |
● | a review of debt to equity ratios in leveraged transactions; |
● | our capital structure; |
● | an assessment of our management and their experience in identifying operating companies; |
● | general conditions of the securities markets at the time of this offering; and |
● | other factors as were deemed relevant. |
Although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering size, price and terms of the units is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities of an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results.
There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
There is currently no market for our securities. Shareholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
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Our corporate affairs will be governed by our articles, the Companies Act (as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. We will also be subject to the federal securities laws of the United States. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands.
The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders derivative action in a Federal court of the United States.
We have been advised by Ogier (Cayman) LLP, Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is currently no statutory enforcement or treaty between the United States and the Cayman Islands providing for enforcement of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive, given by a court of competent jurisdiction (the courts of the Cayman Islands will apply the rules of Cayman Islands private international law to determine whether the foreign court is a court of competent jurisdiction), and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. Furthermore, it is uncertain that Cayman Islands courts would enforce: (1) judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions against us or other persons that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws; or (2) original actions brought against us or other persons predicated upon the Securities Act. Ogier has informed us that there is uncertainty with regard to Cayman Islands law relating to whether a judgment obtained from the U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of the securities laws will be determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands as penal, punitive in nature. A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a United States company.
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General Risk Factors
We are a blank check company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a recently incorporated blank check company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until obtaining funding through this offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
Past performance by our management team, our advisors and their respective affiliates, including investments and transactions in which they have participated and businesses with which they have been associated, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the company.
Information regarding our management team, our advisors and their respective affiliates, including investments and transactions in which they have participated and businesses with which they have been associated, is presented for informational purposes only. Any past experience and performance by our management team, our advisors and their respective affiliates and the businesses with which they have been associated, is not a guarantee that we will be able to successfully identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination, that we will be able to provide positive returns to our shareholders, or of any results with respect to any initial business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical experiences of our management team, our advisors and their respective affiliates, including investments and transactions in which they have participated and businesses with which they have been associated, as indicative of the future performance of an investment in us or as indicative of every prior investment by each of the members of our management team, our advisors or their respective affiliates. The market price of our securities may be influenced by numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, and our shareholders may experience losses on their investment in our securities.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
We may be a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, which could result in adverse United States federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder (as defined in the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation — United States Federal Income Tax Considerations — U.S. Holders”) of our ordinary shares or warrants, the U.S. Holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status for our current and subsequent taxable years may depend on the status of an acquired company pursuant to our initial business combination and whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception (see the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation — United States Federal Income Tax Considerations — U.S. Holders — Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”). Depending on the particular circumstances the application of the start-up exception may be subject to uncertainty, and there cannot be any assurance that we will qualify for the start-up exception. Accordingly, there can be no assurances with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. In addition, our U.S. counsel expresses no opinion with respect to our PFIC status for any taxable year.
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Moreover, if we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a “qualified electing fund” election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information, and, under current law, such election would be unavailable with respect to our warrants in all cases. We urge U.S. investors to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules. For a more detailed explanation of the tax consequences of PFIC classification to U.S. Holders, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation — United States Federal Income Tax Considerations — U.S. Holders — Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”
An investment in this offering may result in uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences.
An investment in this offering may result in uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences. For instance, because there are no authorities that directly address instruments similar to the units we are issuing in this offering, the allocation an investor makes with respect to the purchase price of a unit between the ordinary share and the one-half of one warrant included in each unit could be challenged by the IRS or courts. In addition, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a cashless exercise of warrants included in the units we are issuing in this offering is unclear under current law. Finally, it is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to our ordinary shares suspend the running of a U.S. Holder’s (as defined in section titled “Taxation — United States Federal Income Tax Consideration — U.S. Holders”) holding period for purposes of determining whether any gain or loss realized by such U.S. Holder on the sale or exchange of ordinary shares is long-term capital gain or loss and for determining whether any dividend we pay would be considered “qualified dividend income” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See the section titled “Taxation — United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” for a summary of the U.S. federal income tax considerations of an investment in our securities. Prospective investors are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to these and other tax consequences when acquiring, owning or disposing of our securities.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction, which may result in taxes imposed on shareholders or warrant holders.
We may, in connection with our initial business combination or otherwise and, to the extent applicable, subject to requisite shareholder approval by special resolution under the Companies Act, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located or in another jurisdiction. The transaction may require a shareholder or warrant holder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder or warrant holder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity (or may otherwise result in adverse tax consequences). We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders or warrant holders to pay such taxes. Shareholders or warrant holders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of our ordinary shares or warrants after the reincorporation.
The 1% U.S. federal excise tax on stock buybacks could be imposed on redemptions of our stock if we were to become a “covered corporation” in the future.
On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which, among other things, generally imposes a 1% U.S. federal excise tax (the “Excise Tax”) on certain repurchases of stock by “covered corporations” (which include publicly traded domestic (i.e., U.S.) corporations and certain domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign (i.e., non-U.S.) corporations) occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The Excise Tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its holders from which the stock is repurchased. The amount of the Excise Tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the Excise Tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the Excise Tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out, and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the Excise Tax. On April 12, 2024, the Treasury published proposed Treasury regulations addressing the Excise Tax. Such proposed Treasury regulations clarify many aspects of the Excise Tax, although the interpretation and operation of certain other aspects of the Excise Tax remain unclear. Although these proposed Treasury regulations are not final, taxpayers generally may rely on them until final Treasury regulations are issued. However, there can be no assurance that final Treasury regulations will not adversely affect the accuracy of the below description of the Excise Tax considerations that may be applicable to us if we were to become a “covered corporation” in the future.
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As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are currently not a “covered corporation” for purposes of the Excise Tax. Accordingly, we generally would not be subject to the Excise Tax on a redemptions of our stock in connection with an extension of the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination or in connection with our liquidation if we fail to consummate our initial business combination by such date. If we were to become a “covered corporation” in the future, whether and to what extent we would be subject to the Excise Tax on a redemption of our stock would depend on a number of factors, including (i) whether the redemption is treated as a repurchase of stock for purposes of the Excise Tax, (ii) the fair market value of the redemption treated as a repurchase of stock, (iii) the structure of our initial business combination, (iv) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances (whether in connection with our initial business combination or otherwise) issued within the same taxable year of a redemption treated as a repurchase of stock and (v) the content of final Treasury regulations and other additional guidance from the Treasury addressing the Excise Tax. As noted above, the Excise Tax would be payable by the repurchasing corporation, and not by the redeeming holder. If we were to become a “covered corporation” in the future, the imposition of the Excise Tax on us as a result of redemptions by us could reduce the amount of cash available to pay redemptions or reduce the cash available to the target business in connection with our initial business combination, which could cause investors in our securities who do not redeem or the other shareholders of the combined company to economically bear the impact of such Excise Tax.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor internal controls attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals to or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.
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Provisions in our articles may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our ordinary shares and could entrench management.
Our articles contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preference shares, which may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Our articles will provide that the courts of the Cayman Islands will be the exclusive forums for certain disputes between us and our shareholders, which could limit our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for complaints against us or our directors, officers or employees.
Our articles will provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the courts of the Cayman Islands shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim or dispute arising out of or in connection with our articles or otherwise related in any way to each shareholder’s shareholding in us, including but not limited to (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of any fiduciary or other duty owed by any of our current or former director, officer or other employee to us or our shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Companies Act or our articles, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine (as such concept is recognized under the laws of the United States of America) and that each shareholder irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Cayman Islands over all such claims or disputes.
The forum selection provision in our articles will not apply to actions or suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act, Exchange Act or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are, as a matter of the laws of the United States of America, the sole and exclusive forum for determination of such a claim.
Our articles also will provide that, without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that we may have, each of our shareholders acknowledges that damages alone would not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum and that accordingly we shall be entitled, without proof of special damages, to the remedies of injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum.
This choice of forum provision may increase a shareholder’s cost and limit the shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any of our shares or other securities, whether by transfer, sale, operation of law or otherwise, shall be deemed to have notice of and have irrevocably agreed and consented to these provisions. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provisions, and the enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ charter documents has been challenged in legal proceedings. It is possible that a court could find this type of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable, and if a court were to find this provision in our articles to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, which could have adverse effect on our business and financial performance.
Recent increases in inflation in the United States and elsewhere could make it more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
Recent increases in inflation in the United States and elsewhere may lead to increased price volatility for publicly traded securities, including ours, or other national, regional or international economic disruptions, any of which could make it more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements contained in this prospectus may constitute “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements.
The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward- looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:
● | our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses; |
● | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
● | our expectations around the performance of the prospective target business or businesses; |
● | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
● | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination; |
● | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
● | our pool of prospective target businesses; |
● | our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to uncertainty and adverse impacts resulting from events outside of our control, such as increased geopolitical unrest, significant outbreaks of infectious diseases (such as COVID-19) and increased volatility in the debt and equity markets; |
● | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities; |
● | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
● | the lack of a market for our securities; |
● | the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; |
● | the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties; or |
● | our financial performance following this offering. |
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The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors”. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
In addition, statements that contain “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this prospectus. Although we believe that this information provides a reasonable basis for these statements, this information may be limited or incomplete. Our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements.
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We are offering 25,000,000 units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit. We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering together with the funds we will receive from the sale of the private placement warrants will be used as set forth in the following table.
Without Over- allotment Option | Over-allotment Option Exercised | |||||||
Gross proceeds | ||||||||
Gross proceeds from units offered to public(1) | $ | 250,000,000 | $ | 287,500,000 | ||||
Gross proceeds from private placement warrants offered in the private placement | $ | 7,750,000 | $ | 7,750,000 | ||||
Total gross proceeds | $ | 257,750,000 | $ | 295,250,000 | ||||
Estimated offering expenses(2) | ||||||||
Underwriting commissions (2.0% of gross proceeds from units offered to public, excluding units sold pursuant to the over-allotment option and excluding deferred portion)(3) | $ | 5,000,000 | $ | 5,000,000 | ||||
Legal fees and expenses | 400,000 | 400,000 | ||||||
Consulting fees(4) | 500,000 | 500,000 | ||||||
Printing and engraving expenses | 15,000 | 15,000 | ||||||
Accounting fees and expenses | 70,000 | 70,000 | ||||||
SEC Expenses | 69,500 | 69,500 | ||||||
FINRA Expenses | 43,625 | 43,625 | ||||||
Nasdaq listing and filing fees | 81,000 | 81,000 | ||||||
Travel and road show expenses | 20,000 | 20,000 | ||||||
Miscellaneous | 20,875 | 20,875 | ||||||
Total offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) | 1,220,000 | 1,220,000 | ||||||
Proceeds after estimated offering expenses | $ | 251,530,000 | $ | 289,030,000 | ||||
Held in trust account(3) | $ | 250,000,000 | $ | 287,500,000 | ||||
% of public offering size | 100 | % | 100 | % | ||||
Not held in trust account | 1,530,000 | 1,530,000 |
The following table shows the use of the approximately $1,530,000 net proceeds not held in the trust account(5)
Amount | % of Total | |||||||
Accounting, due diligence, travel, and other expenses in connection with any business combination(6) | $ | 200,000 | 13.1 | % | ||||
Legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations | 100,000 | 6.5 | % | |||||
Consulting fees in connection with any business combination | 500,000 | |||||||
Nasdaq continued listing fees | 85,000 | 5.6 | % | |||||
Payment for office space, secretarial and administrative services(7) | - | - | % | |||||
D&O insurance | 200,000 | 13.1 | % | |||||
Working capital to cover miscellaneous expenses | 445,000 | 30.4 | % | |||||
Total | $ | 1,530,000 | 100.0 | % |
(1) | Includes amounts payable to public shareholders who properly redeem their shares in connection with our successful completion of our initial business combination. |
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(2) | A portion of the offering expenses have been paid from the proceeds of loans from our sponsor of up to $300,000 as described in this prospectus. These loans will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $1,220,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses other than underwriting commissions. In the event that offering expenses are less than set forth in this table, any such amounts will be used for post-closing working capital expenses. As of December 31, 2024, we had borrowed approximately $34,000 under the promissory note. | |
(3) | The underwriters have agreed to defer underwriting commissions equal to 4.0% of the gross proceeds of this offering, or up to $10,000,000 in the aggregate (or up to $11,500,000 if the overallotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters in this offering. Upon completion of our initial business combination, $10,000,000 in the aggregate, (or up to $11,500,000 if the overallotment option is exercised in full) which constitutes the deferred underwriting commissions will be paid to the underwriters from the remaining cash held in the Company’s trust account at the closing of the initial business combination. However, such deferred commissions shall be due solely from amounts remaining in the trust account following all properly submitted shareholder redemptions in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination and less any funds sourced by initial shareholders or any cash remaining in the trust pursuant to structured agreements such as forward purchase agreements, non-redemption agreements, any agreements or arrangements alike, or any other incentivization provided to the shareholders to not to redeem. The remaining funds will be released to us and can be used to pay all or a portion of the purchase price of the business or businesses with which our initial business combination occurs or for general corporate purposes, including payment of principal or interest on indebtedness incurred in connection with our initial business combination, to fund the purchases of other companies, or for working capital. The underwriters will not be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions. | |
(4) | Includes fees paid to Meteora engaged by the Sponsor in providing certain marketing analysis services. | |
(5) | These expenses are estimates only. Our actual expenditures for some or all of these items may differ from the estimates set forth herein. For example, we may incur greater legal and accounting expenses than our current estimates in connection with negotiating and structuring our initial business combination based upon the level of complexity of such business combination. In the event we identify a business combination target in a specific industry subject to specific regulations, we may incur additional expenses associated with legal due diligence and the engagement of special legal counsel. In addition, our staffing needs may vary and as a result, we may engage a number of consultants to assist with legal and financial due diligence. We do not anticipate any change in our intended use of proceeds, other than fluctuations among the current categories of allocated expenses, which fluctuations, to the extent they exceed current estimates for any specific category of expenses, would not be available for our expenses. The amount in the table above does not include interest available to us from the trust account. | |
(6) | Includes estimated amounts that may also be used in connection with our initial business combination to fund a no shop provision and commitment fees for financing. |
(7) | Subsequent to the closing of this offering, we will pay our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees an aggregate of $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. Payment for such administrative services will be deferred and payable upon the closing of a Business Combination and will only be paid out of funds remaining outside of Trust Account. |
Nasdaq rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants be deposited in a trust account. Of the net proceeds we will receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, $250,000,000, or $287,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit in either case), will be deposited into a segregated trust account located in the United States at [JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.] with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, after deducting $5,000,000 in underwriting discounts and commissions payable upon the closing of this offering and an aggregate of approximately $1,220,000 to pay fees and expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and for working capital following the closing of this offering. The proceeds held in the trust account will be held as cash or invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations; the holding of these assets in this form is intended to be temporary and for the sole purpose of facilitating the intended business combination and, may at any time be held as cash or cash items, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank. We will disclose in each quarterly and annual report filed with the SEC prior to our initial business combination whether the proceeds deposited in the trust account are invested in U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds or a combination thereof or as cash or cash items, including in demand deposit accounts. Assuming that the proceeds held in the trust account are only invested in such money market funds at a current interest rate of [●]% per year, we estimate the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $[●] per year; however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount.
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We expect that the interest earned on the trust account will be sufficient to pay income taxes, if any. We will not be permitted to withdraw any of the principal or interest held in the trust account, except for up to $100,000 to pay dissolution expenses, as applicable, until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity.
The net proceeds released to us from the trust account upon the closing of our initial business combination may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released following the closing from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital or other purposes. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds through the issuance of equity-linked securities or through loans, advances or other indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop arrangements we may enter into following consummation of this offering. However, our articles provide that, following this offering and prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we will be prohibited from issuing additional securities that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares on any initial business combination.
We believe that amounts not held in trust will be sufficient to pay the costs and expenses to which such proceeds are allocated that are payable prior to the closing of our initial business combination. However, if our estimate of the costs of undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination is less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may be required to raise additional capital, the amount, availability and cost of which is currently unascertainable. If we are required to seek additional capital, we could seek such additional capital through loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates, but such persons are not under any obligation to advance funds to, or invest in, us.
Subsequent to the closing of this offering, we will pay our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees an aggregate of $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
Prior to the closing of this offering, our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for offering related and organizational expenses of this offering. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of June 30, 2025 or the closing of this offering. The loan will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the $1,220,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated to the payment of offering expenses other than underwriting commissions. In the event that offering expenses are less than set forth in this table, any such amounts will be used for post-closing working capital expenses.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts.
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In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercisability and exercise price. Except as set forth above, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
We have until the end of the completion window to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within such 24-month period, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our articles to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for an extension, holders of public shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned thereon (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law.
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We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends following completion of our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time and will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition at such time. There is no certainty we will be in a position to, or decide to, pay cash dividends after completing any business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends following completion of our initial business combination may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
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The difference between the public offering price per ordinary share and Adjusted NTBVPS, on a pro forma basis to give effect to this offering, assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option and exercise of the over-allotment option in full, constitutes dilution to investors in this offering. Adjusted NTBVPS is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of ordinary shares which may be redeemed for cash), as adjusted to reflect various potential redemption levels that may occur in connection with the closing of our initial business combination, by the number of outstanding ordinary shares.
Adjusted NTBVPS excludes the effect of the consummation of our initial business combination or any related transactions or expenses. The calculation of Adjusted NTBVPS assumes that no ordinary shares are issued to shareholders of our potential initial business combination target as consideration or issuable by the post-business combination company (for example, under an incentive plan or employee share purchase plan), no ordinary shares or convertible equity, equity-linked or debt securities are issued in connection with additional financing that we may seek in connection with our initial business combination, and no working capital loans are converted into private placement shares. The issuance of additional ordinary or preference shares may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering.
At December 31, 2024, our net tangible book deficit was $($963,290), or approximately $(0.13) per ordinary share. The following table illustrates what the Adjusted NTBVPS at December 31, 2024 would have been to the public shareholders on a pro forma basis to give effect to this offering and the issuance of the private placement warrants, assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option and exercise of the over-allotment option in full:
No Redemptions | 25% of Maximum Redemptions | 50% of Maximum Redemptions | 75% of Maximum Redemptions | Maximum Redemptions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Public offering price | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net tangible book deficit before this offering | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Increase attributable to public stockholders | 7.84 | 7.84 | 7.27 | 7.26 | 6.31 | 6.31 | 4.41 | 4.40 | (1.32 | ) | (1.34 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants | 7.71 | 7.71 | 7.14 | 7.13 | 6.18 | 6.18 | 4.28 | 4.27 | (1.45 | ) | (1.47 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dilution to public stockholders | $ | 2.29 | $ | 2.29 | $ | 2.86 | $ | 2.87 | $ | 3.82 | $ | 3.82 | $ | 5.72 | $ | 5.73 | $ | 11.45 | $ | 11.47 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Percentage of dilution to public stockholders | 22.9 | % | 22.9 | % | 28.6 | % | 28.7 | % | 38.2 | % | 38.2 | % | 57.2 | % | 57.3 | % | 114.5 | % | 114.7 | % |
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For each of the redemption scenarios above, the NTBV was calculated as follows:
No Redemptions | 25%
of Maximum Redemptions | 50%
of Maximum Redemptions | 75%
of Maximum Redemptions | Maximum Redemptions(5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | No Over-Allotment | Full Over-Allotment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Numerator: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net tangible book deficit before this offering | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | $ | (963,290 | ) | ||||||||||
Plus: Net proceeds from this offering and sale of the private placement warrants(1) | 251,530,000 | 289,030,000 | 251,530,000 | 289,030,000 | 251,530,000 | 289,030,000 | 251,530,000 | 289,030,000 | 251,530,000 | 289,030,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plus: Offering costs paid in advance, excluded from tangible book value before this offering | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Less: Deferred underwriting fees | (10,000,000 | ) | (11,500,000 | ) | (10,000,000 | ) | (11,500,000 | ) | (10,000,000 | ) | (11,500,000 | ) | (10,000,000 | ) | (11,500,000 | ) | (10,000,000 | ) | (11,500,000 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Less: overallotment liability(2) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Less: Amounts paid for redemptions(3) | - | - | (62,500,000 | ) | (71,785,000 | ) | (125,000,000 | ) | (143,750,000 | ) | (187,500,000 | ) | (215,625,000 | ) | (250,000,000 | ) | (287,500,000 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
$ | 240,966,710 | $ | 276,966,710 | $ | 178,466,710 | $ | 205,091,710 | $ | 115,966,710 | $ | 133,216,710 | $ | 53,466,710 | $ | 61,341,710 | $ | (9,033,290 | ) | $ | (10,533,290 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Denominator: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Founder shares outstanding prior to this offering(4) | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | 7,187,500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Less: founder shares forfeited if over-allotment is not exercised | (937,500 | ) | - | (937,500 | ) | - | (937,500 | ) | - | (937,500 | ) | - | (937,500 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plus: ordinary shares included in the units offered | 25,000,000 | 28,750,000 | 25,000,000 | 28,750,000 | 25,000,000 | 28,750,000 | 25,000,000 | 28,750,000 | 25,000,000 | 28,750,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Less: ordinary shares redeemed | - | - | (6,250,000 | ) | (7,178,500 | ) | (12,500,000 | ) | (14,375,000 | ) | (18,750,000 | ) | (21,562,500 | ) | (25,000,000 | ) | (28,750,000 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
31,250,000 | 35,937,500 | 25,000,000 | 28,750,000 | 18,750,000 | 21,562,500 | 12,500,000 | 14,375,000 | 6,250,000 | 7,187,500 |
(1) | Expenses applied against gross proceeds include offering expenses of approximately $1,220,000 (not including $200,000 for director and officer liability insurance premiums to be paid upon closing of this offering, which amount is not an offering expense to be capitalized) and underwriting commissions of $5,000,000. See “Use of Proceeds.” |
(2) | Represents the value of 45-day over-allotment option from the date of this offering granted to the underwriters to purchase an aggregate of up to 3,750,000 additional units at the initial public offering price less the underwriting commissions. The underwriter’s over-allotment option is deemed to be a freestanding financial instrument indexed on the shares subject to redemption and will be accounted for as a liability pursuant to ASC 480 if not fully exercised at the time of the initial public offering. The table above assumes that the option has either been fully exercised or has expired with no exercise to purchase additional units, thus the value of over-allotment liability in both scenario is $0. |
(3) | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. In the event of any such purchases of our shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination, the number of ordinary shares subject to redemption will be reduced by the amount of any such purchases, increasing the pro forma NTBV. See “Proposed Business — Effecting Our Initial Business Combination — Permitted Purchases of Our Securities.” |
(4) | For purposes of presenting the maximum redemption scenario, we have reduced our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) by $250,000,000 because holders of up to approximately 100% of our public shares may redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account at a per share redemption price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account less taxes paid or payable, divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein. |
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The following table sets forth information with respect to our initial shareholders and the public shareholders:
Shares Purchased | Total Consideration | Average Price | ||||||||||||||||||
Number | Percentage | Amount | Percentage | per Share | ||||||||||||||||
Initial Shareholders(1) | 6,250,000 | 20.0 | % | $ | 25,000 | 0.01 | % | $ | 0.004 | |||||||||||
Public Shareholders | 25,000,000 | 80.0 | % | $ | 250,000,000 | 99.99 | % | $ | 10.00 | |||||||||||
31,250,000 | 100.00 | % | $ | 250,025,000 | 100.00 | % |
(1) | Assumes that 937,500 founder shares are forfeited after the closing of this offering in the event the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option. |
In addition to the sources of potential dilution discussed herein, we note that there are additional possible sources of dilution and the extent of such dilution that non-redeeming public shareholders could experience in connection with the closing of the initial business combination may be uncertain, due to the uncertainty associated with the occurrence or the amount of securities that may be issued pursuant to such occurrence, including arising from: (i) the issuance of additional securities as we may seek an initial business combination with a target company with an enterprise value greater than the net proceeds of the offering, (ii) any loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates or designees, including the issuance of warrants upon conversion of working capital loans, (iii) any ordinary shares, preferred shares or debt securities that may be issued to third parties pursuant to any equity financing or debt financing in connection with our initial business combination, and (iv) the reservation and issuance of any securities under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. For further discussions on potential sources of dilutions and potential risks associated thereof, see “Risk Factor — We may issue additional ordinary or preferred shares to complete a business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.”
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The following table sets forth our capitalization at December 31, 2024 and as adjusted to give effect to the sale of our 25,000,000 units in this offering for $250,000,000 (or $10.00 per unit) and the sale of 7,750,000 private placement warrants for $7,750,000 (or $1.00 per warrant) and the application of the estimated net proceeds derived from the sale of such securities:
December 31, 2024 |
||||||||
Actual | As Adjusted(1) | |||||||
Notes payable to related party(2) | $ | 34,043 | $ | - | ||||
Deferred underwriting fees | - | 10,000,000 | ||||||
Over-allotment liability(3) | - | - | ||||||
Ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, -0- and 25,000,000 shares are subject to possible redemption, actual and as adjusted, respectively(4) | - | 250,000,000 | ||||||
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted | - | - | ||||||
Ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 550,000,000 shares authorized; 7,187,500 and 6,250,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively (excluding -0- and 25,000,000 shares subject to possible redemption, actual and as adjusted, respectively) | 719 | 626 | ||||||
Additional paid-in capital | 174,281 | - | ||||||
Accumulated deficit(5) | (738,290 | ) | (9,033,916 | ) | ||||
Total shareholders’ (deficit) equity | $ | (563,290 | ) | $ | (9,033,290 | ) | ||
Total capitalization | $ | (529,247 | ) | $ | 250,966,710 |
(1) | The “as adjusted” share amount assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units and the forfeiture of 937,500 founder shares. |
(2) | Our sponsor may loan us up to $300,000 under unsecured, non-interest bearing promissory notes for offering-related and organizational expenses. Such loans are due at the earlier of June 30, 2025 or the closing of this offering and are anticipated to be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $1,220,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses other than underwriting commissions. As of December 31, 2024, we had borrowed approximately $34,000 under this promissory note. |
(3) | The underwriter’s over-allotment option is deemed to be a freestanding financial instrument indexed on the shares subject to redemption and will be accounted for as a liability pursuant to ASC 480 if not fully exercised at the time of the initial public offering. The table above assumes that the option has expired with no exercise to purchase additional units, thus the value of over-allotment liability at this point is $0. |
(4) | All of the 25,000,000 ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with our liquidation, if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with our initial business combination and in connection with certain amendments to our amended and restated articles of organization. In accordance with SEC and its guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require ordinary shares subject to possible redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the 25,000,000 ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering will be issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., public warrants), the initial carrying value of ordinary shares classified as temporary equity will be the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20. Our ordinary share is subject to ASC 480-10-S99. If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, we have the option to either (i) accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or (ii) recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. We have elected to recognize the changes immediately. The accretion or remeasurement will be treated as a deemed dividend (i.e., a reduction to retained earnings, or in absence of retained earnings, additional paid-in capital). |
(5) | As adjusted accumulated deficit includes the immediate accretion of the carrying value of ordinary shares subject to redemption. |
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on July 15, 2024 and incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While we will consider opportunities in any industry, we are strategically positioned to capitalize on transformative opportunities, focusing on sectors that are pivotal to advancing sustainability and innovation. Our investment thesis prioritizes target businesses primarily in North America and Europe, with a keen interest in new energy businesses, circular economy initiatives, and innovative agricultural and food technologies. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the private placement of the private warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our securities in connection with our initial business combination, if any, our shares, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.
The issuance of additional ordinary shares or preferred shares in a business combination:
● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering; |
● | may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preferred shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares; |
● | could cause a change of control if a substantial number of our ordinary shares is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; |
● | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and |
● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, ordinary shares and/or warrants. |
Similarly, if we issue debt securities, it could result in:
● | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
● | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
● | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
● | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
● | our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares; |
● | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
● | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
● | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
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● | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, at December 31, 2024, we had a working capital deficit of approximately $963,000. Further, we expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future Events
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for this offering. Following this offering, we will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We expect to generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents after this offering. After this offering, we expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. We expect our expenses to increase substantially after the closing of this offering.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our liquidity needs have been satisfied prior to the completion of this offering through a capital contribution from our sponsor and its affiliates and a consultant, Meteora Capital LLC (the “Consultant” or “Meteora”) of $25,000 in exchange for the issuance of 7,187,500 ordinary shares (the “founder shares”), and up to $300,000 in loans available from our sponsor pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”). As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately $34,000 of borrowings under the Note.
We estimate that the net proceeds from the sale of the units in this offering of $250,000,000 (or $287,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), the sale of the private placement warrants for an aggregate purchase price of $4,000,000, after deducting offering expenses of approximately $1,220,000, will be $251,530,000 (or $289,030,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). Such purchase of the private placement warrants will be funded by our sponsor. Of this amount, $250,000,000 (or $287,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be held in the trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. The remaining approximately $1,530,000 will not be held in the trust account. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $1,220,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $1,220,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and excluding deferred underwriting commissions) to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest to pay our taxes. We may pay from funds from this offering held outside of the trust account or from interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and released to us for this purpose. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account. We expect the interest earned on the amount in the trust account will be sufficient to pay our income taxes. To the extent that our equity or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we will have available to us the approximately $1,530,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account. We will use these funds to primarily identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate and complete a business combination.
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We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds following this offering in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business prior to our initial business combination. However, if our estimates of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business combination target but may target businesses with enterprise values that are greater than what we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants. As a result, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our initial business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our initial business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such working capital loans may be convertible into warrants of the post business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. The terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
We expect our primary liquidity requirements during that period to include approximately $200,000 for accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses associated with structuring, negotiating and documenting successful business combinations; $100,000 for legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting requirements; $500,000 for the consulting fees in connection with any business combination; $85,000 for Nasdaq and other regulatory fees; $200,000 for director and officer insurance; and approximately $445,000 for general working capital that will be used for miscellaneous expenses and reserves (excluding administrative fees to our sponsor as discussed below). We will also pay our sponsor $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team subsequent to the closing of this offering. Payment for such administrative services to our sponsor will be deferred and payable upon the closing of a business combination and will only be paid out of funds remaining outside of Trust Account.
These amounts are estimates and may differ materially from our actual expenses. In addition, we could use a portion of the funds not being placed in trust to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, the amount that would be used as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision would be determined based on the terms of the specific business combination and the amount of our available funds at the time. Our forfeiture of such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise) could result in our not having sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conducting due diligence with respect to, prospective target businesses.
Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination, either because the transaction requires more cash than is available from the proceeds held in our trust account or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of the business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. In addition, we intend to target businesses with enterprise values that are greater than we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units, and, as a result, if the cash portion of the purchase price exceeds the amount available from the trust account, net of amounts needed to satisfy any redemptions by public shareholders, we may be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. We may also obtain financing prior to the closing of our initial business combination to fund our working capital needs and transaction costs in connection with our search for and completion of our initial business combination. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds through the issuance of equity or equity-linked securities or through loans, advances or other indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following consummation of this offering. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. In addition, following our initial business combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, we may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet our obligations.
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Controls and Procedures
We are not currently required to maintain an effective system of internal controls as defined by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer and no longer an emerging growth company would we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement.
Prior to the closing of this offering, we have not completed an assessment, nor has our independent registered public accounting firm tested our systems, of internal controls. We expect to assess the internal controls of our target business or businesses prior to the completion of our initial business combination and, if necessary, to implement and test additional controls as we may determine are necessary in order to state that we maintain an effective system of internal controls. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding the adequacy of internal controls. Many small and mid-sized target businesses we may consider for our initial business combination may have internal controls that need improvement in areas such as:
● | staffing for financial, accounting and external reporting areas, including segregation of duties; |
● | reconciliation of accounts; |
● | proper recording of expenses and liabilities in the period to which they relate; |
● | evidence of internal review and approval of accounting transactions; |
● | documentation of processes, assumptions and conclusions underlying significant estimates; and |
● | documentation of accounting policies and procedures. |
Because it will take time, management involvement and perhaps outside resources to determine what internal control improvements are necessary for us to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations for our operation of a target business, we may incur significant expenses in meeting our public reporting responsibilities, particularly in the areas of designing, enhancing, or remediating internal and disclosure controls. Doing so effectively may also take longer than we expect, thus increasing our exposure to financial fraud or erroneous financing reporting.
Once our management’s report on internal controls is complete, we will retain our independent registered public accounting firm to audit and render an opinion on such report when required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The independent registered public accounting firm may identify additional issues concerning a target business’s internal controls while performing their audit of internal control over financial reporting.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
The net proceeds of this offering, the sale of the private placement warrants and the overfunding loans held in the trust account will be invested in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
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Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On November 11, 2024, our sponsor and its affiliates purchased $23,957 for an aggregate of 6,887,500 ordinary shares (up to 937,500 of which will be surrendered to us for no consideration depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and Meteora (our consultant) paid $1,043 for an aggregate of 300,000 ordinary shares (none of which are subject to forfeiture in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option). These 7,187,500 ordinary shares are referred herein as “Founder Shares”. Of these 7,187,500 Founder Shares, each of the Sponsor, Sponsor’s affiliates: Harry You and Robert You, and Meteora held 2,575,000 shares (of which 375,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option), 2,300,000 shares (of which 300,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option), 2,012,500 shares (of which 262,500 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option) and 300,000 shares, respectively.
Administrative Support Agreement
Commencing on the date of the Proposed Public Offering, we will agree to reimburse our sponsor or an affiliate thereof in an amount equal to $15,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of the Initial Business Combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. Payment for such administrative services to our sponsor will be deferred and payable upon the closing of a business combination and will only be paid out of funds remaining outside of Trust Account.
Our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable Business Combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to the Sponsor, executive officers or directors, or ours or their affiliates.
Related Party Loans
Promissory Note
We entered into a loan agreement with our sponsor on August 23, 2024, which was later amended on December 31, 2024, whereby our sponsor agreed to loan us an aggregate of up to $300,000 to cover expenses related to the Proposed Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”). This loan is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of June 30, 2025, or the date on which we consummate the Proposed Public Offering. As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately $34,000 of borrowings under the Note.
Working Capital Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with its Initial Business Combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor, or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If we complete our Initial Business Combination, we would repay the Working Capital Loans. In the event that the Initial Business Combination does not close, we may use a portion of proceeds held outside the trust account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the trust account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. If our sponsor makes any Working Capital Loans, up to $1.5 million of such loans may be convertible into warrants of the post business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants and their underlying securities would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of December 31, 2024, we had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations; Quarterly Results
As of December 31, 2024, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. No unaudited quarterly operating data is included in this prospectus as we have conducted no operations to date.
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JOBS Act
On April 5, 2012, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We will qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act will be allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things: (1) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (2) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; (3) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis); and (4) disclose certain executive compensation-related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the CEO’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of this offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
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General
We are a blank check company incorporated on July 15, 2024 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any specific business combination target, and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination with us. However, members of our management team had been or are in discussions with potential business combination partners in their capacity as officers and directors of Coliseum (consummated its initial business combination in December 2024), dMY Squared (which entered into a non-binding letter of intent for a potential business combination on February 26, 2025), dMY VI (which liquidated in April 2023 without completing a business combination), dMY IV (which consummated its initial business combination in December 2021), dMY III (which consummated its initial business combination in October 2021), dMY II (which consummated its initial business combination in April 2021), dMY I (which consummated its initial business combination in December 2020) and GTY (which consummated its initial business combination in February 2019) and we may pursue business combination partners that had previously been in discussions with the management teams of the dMY SPACs, Coliseum and GTY. See the section titled “Summary — Our Sponsor” for more information.
Our efforts to identify a prospective initial business combination target will not be limited to a particular industry, sector or geographic region. While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify and combine with a business or businesses that can benefit from our management team’s established relationships and operating experience. Our management team has extensive experience in identifying and executing strategic investments and has done so successfully in a number of sectors. While our focus is broad because of our perspective on technology and other growth industries having looked at over a thousand acquisition targets over the past decade, we will be examining in particular, opportunities in AI as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas. Our articles prohibit us from effectuating a business combination solely with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations.
After we complete our initial business combination, to the extent permitted by its governing documents and applicable rules and regulations, the surviving public company could serve as a platform for future inorganic growth opportunities by increasing its footprint, areas of activities and extending the services it is providing to public companies and private companies intending to go public. Such inorganic opportunities may or may not be complementary to the business performed by the target company of our initial business combination. If we acquire a business or assets that are not complementary to such target business, such business or assets may not be able to leverage our infrastructure or operational experience, which may increase the costs associated with such acquisitions, and we may determine in connection with such acquisition or afterward to separate the ownership of such business or assets from that of our initial target business through a spin-off, split-off or otherwise. We have not selected or identified any potential target business or any potential inorganic opportunities at this stage.
Our Management Team
Our management team is comprised of industry leaders, who we believe are well positioned to identify and evaluate businesses that would benefit from our management team’s skills and access to the public markets. We believe that our management team possesses extensive experience in operating and growing companies, has a deep network of contacts and brings a distinctive background that can have a transformative impact on a target business. Our management team is spearheaded by Harry L. You, the Interim Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Chairman of the board of directors of the company, and [●].
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Harry L. You is an experienced executive, chief financial officer and board member with extensive experience with technology companies. Harry has served as Chairman of the Board of Coliseum since June 2023 until the closing of its initial business combination in December 2024, and served as interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer from June 2023 until July 2023, and he currently serves as Chairman of Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. (Nasdaq: RAIN). Mr. You has also served as Chairman of the Board and a Director of dMY Squared since March 2022, as well as Chief Financial Officer since February 2022 and Chief Executive Officer since February 2025. From March 2022 until his resignation in March 2023, Mr. You also served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of dMY Squared. He has also been a member of the Audit Committee of Broadcom since January 2019 as well as Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Broadcom. Previously, he was Chief Financial Officer from September 2016 to August 2019 and President in May 2019 and from September 2016 to February 2019 and in May 2019 of GTY, a software as a service company that offers cloud-based solutions for the public sector. He was Executive Vice President in the Office of the Chairman of EMC from 2008 to 2016. When Mr. You joined EMC in 2008, he oversaw corporate strategy and new business development, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and venture capital activity. He was Chief Executive Officer from 2005 to 2007 and Interim Chief Financial Officer from 2005 to 2006 of BearingPoint Inc. (formerly KPMG Consulting), a leading IT and management consultancy. He was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Oracle from 2004 to 2005, in which capacity, he helped start Oracle’s acquisition run with takeovers of Peoplesoft, Inc. and Retek in 2005. Prior to joining Oracle, he held several key positions in finance, including as Chief Financial Officer of Accenture Ltd. from 2001 to 2004, guiding Accenture through its initial public offering, and a managing director in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley. He has also served as a trustee of the U.S. Olympic Committee Foundation from 2016 to 2022. Mr. You currently served as a director of IonQ, Inc. from October 2021 to February 2025. Mr. You served as Vice Chairman of the Board of GTY from February 2019 to July 2022 and as director of Coupang, Inc. from January 2021 to June 2023, Genius Sports Limited from April 2021 to December 2022, Rush Street Interactive, Inc. from September 2019 to June 2022, dMY II (a special purpose acquisition company) from June 2020 to April 2021, dMY IV (a special purpose acquisition company) from December 2020 to April 2023, and Korn/Ferry International from 2005 to 2016. Mr. You holds an M.A. in Economics from Yale University and a B.A. in Economics from Harvard College.
[●]
Prior SPAC Experience
The members of our management team, including Harry L. You, [●], have extensive experience with special purpose acquisition companies.
dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc.
In February 2022, Mr. You founded dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc., a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You has served as Chairman of the Board and a Director of dMY Squared since March 2022, as well as Chief Financial Officer since February 2022. From March 2022 until his resignation in March 2023, Mr. You also served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of dMY Squared. dMY Squared completed its initial public offering in September 2022, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $63,190,000. On January 2, 2024, dMY Squared held a special meeting of shareholders to extend the date by which it must complete a business combination from January 4, 2024 to January 29, 2024, and month to month thereafter up to December 29, 2025, provided that $50,000 is deposited into the trust account for each month of the extension. In connection with the extension, approximately 3,980,414 public shares were redeemed, representing approximately 37.0% of the public shares issued in dMY Squared’s initial public offering. dMY Squared’s units, Class A common stock and warrants are traded on the NYSE American under the symbols “DMYY.U,” “DMYY” and “DMYY.WS”, respectively. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of DMYY.U, DMYY and DMYY.WS were $11.50, $11.10, and $0.72, respectively. On February 26, 2025, dMY Squared and Horizon, a developer of advanced software development tools for quantum computers, entered into a non-binding letter of intent for a potential business combination.
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Coliseum Acquisition Corp./Rain Enhancement Technologies, Inc.
Coliseum Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Coliseum completed its initial public offering in June 2021, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $150,000,000. Mr. You acquired (directly and indirectly) 70% of the founder shares and private placement warrants of Coliseum from its previous sponsor in June 2023, and became Chairman of the Board of Directors of Coliseum. In June 2023, November 2023, September 2024 and December 2024, Coliseum held shareholder meetings to extend the date by which it must complete a business combination, and in connection therewith, 9,121,799 public shares, 3,001,840 public shares, 1,089,249 public shares, and 856,188 public shares were redeemed, in aggregate representing approximately 93.79% of the public shares issued in Coliseum’s initial public offering. On June 26, 2024, Coliseum entered into a business combination agreement with Rain Enhancement Technologies, Inc., a business formed to develop, improve and commercialize ionization rainfall generation technology. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of Coliseum to approve the business combination with Rain Enhancement Technologies, Inc., shareholders holding 505,207 public shares exercised their rights to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $11.41 per share for an aggregate of $2.37 million. Together with the public shares submitted for redemption in connection with the extension meetings as described above, approximately 97.16% of the public shares issued in Coliseum’s initial public offering were redeemed. Following the closing, Class A common stock and warrants of Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. began trading on Nasdaq on January 2, 2025 under the ticker symbols “RAIN” and “RAINW,” respectively. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of RAIN and RAINW were $2.10 and $0.10, respectively. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. reflects a market value of approximately $15.90 million.
dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI
In April 2021, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI, a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as co-chairman of the board of dMY VI from April 2021 to April 2023. dMY VI completed its initial public offering in September 2021, in which it raised aggregate of approximately $210,000,000. On December 22, 2022, dMY VI announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination with Rain Enhancement Technologies, Inc. The business combination was unsuccessful and dMY VI liquidated on April 27, 2023. Prior to its liquidation, dMY VI’s units, Class A common stock and warrants were traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “DMYS.U,” “DMYS” and “DMYS WS”, respectively.
dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV/Planet Labs Inc.
In December 2020, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV, a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as a director of dMY IV from December 2020 to December 2021. dMY IV completed its initial public offering in February 2021, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $340,000,000. dMY IV completed its initial business combination with Planet Labs, an Earth observation and analysis company, in November 2021, which transaction valued Planet Labs at a post-transaction equity value of approximately $2.8 billion. There was no vote held to extend the date by which dMY IV must consummate a business combination because it consummated its initial business combination within 24 months of its initial public offering. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of dMY IV to approve the business combination with Planet Labs, holders of 689,670 shares of dMY IV Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering, or approximately 2.0% of the outstanding public shares, exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.00 per share, or $6.9 million in the aggregate. dMY IV and Planet Labs raised a PIPE in the amount of $252 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as a director of Planet Labs from December 2021 to April 2023. Planet Labs’ Class A common stock and warrants are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “PL” and “PL WS”. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of PL and PL WS were $4.24 and $0.90, respectively. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of Planet Labs reflects a market value of approximately $1.26 billion.
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dMY Technology Group, Inc. III/IonQ, Inc.
In September 2020, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc. III, a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as a director of dMY III from September 2020 to October 2021. dMY III completed its initial public offering in October 2020, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $300,000,000. dMY III completed its initial business combination with IonQ, a quantum computing business, in October 2021, which transaction valued IonQ at approximately $2 billion. There was no vote held to extend the date by which dMY III must consummate a business combination because it consummated its initial business combination within 24 months of its initial public offering. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of dMY III to approve the business combination with IonQ, holders of 950,923 shares of dMY III Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering, or approximately 3.2% of the outstanding public shares, exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.00 per share, or $9.5 million in the aggregate. dMY III and IonQ raised a PIPE in the amount of $345 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as a director of IonQ from October 2021 to February 2025. IonQ, Inc.’s common stock and warrants are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “IONQ” and “IONQ WS”. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of IONQ and IONQ WS were $21.14 and $10.32, respectively. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of IonQ reflects a market value of approximately $4.71 billion.
dMY Technology Group, Inc. II/Genius Sports Group
In June 2020, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc. II, a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as a director of dMY II from June 2020 to April 2021. dMY II completed its initial public offering in October 2020, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $276,000,000. dMY II completed its initial business combination with Genius Sports, a sports data company, in March 2021, which transaction valued Genius Sports at approximately $1.5 billion. There was no vote held to extend the date by which dMY II must consummate a business combination because it consummated its initial business combination within 24 months of its initial public offering. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of dMY II to approve the business combination with Genius Sports, holders of 1,296 shares of dMY II Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering, or less than 0.01% of the outstanding public shares, exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.00 per share, or $12,966.05 in the aggregate. dMY II and Genius Sports raised a PIPE in the amount of $330 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as a director of Genius Sports from April 2021 to December 2022. Genius Sports’ ordinary shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “GENI”. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of GENI was $10.05. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of Genius Sports reflects a market value of approximately $2.51 billion.
dMY Technology Group, Inc./Rush Street Interactive, Inc.
In September 2019, Mr. You founded dMY Technology Group, Inc., a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as a director of dMY I from September 2019 to December 2020. dMY I completed its initial public offering in February 2020, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $230,000,000. dMY I completed its initial business combination with Rush Street, an online casino and sports wagering company, in December 2020, which transaction valued Rush Street at approximately $1.78 billion. There was no vote held to extend the date by which dMY must consummate a business combination because it consummated its initial business combination within 24 months of its initial public offering. In connection with the special meeting of stockholders of dMY I to approve the business combination with Rush Street, holders of 485 shares of dMY I Class A common stock sold in its initial public offering, or less than 0.01% of the outstanding public shares, exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.03 per share, or $4,866.97 in the aggregate. dMY I and Rush Street raised a PIPE in the amount of $160.4 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as a director of Rush Street from December 2020 to June 2022. Rush Street’s Class A common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “RSI”. On March 20, 2025, the closing sale price of RSI was $10.93. As of March 20, 2025, the aggregate market capitalization of Rush Street reflects a market value of approximately $2.49 billion.
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GTY Technology Holding Inc./GI Partners
In August 2016, Mr. You founded GTY Technology Holdings, Inc., a blank check company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. Mr. You served as chief financial officer of GTY from September 2016 to August 2019 and president from September 2016 to February 2019. GTY completed its initial public offering in October 2016, in which it raised aggregate proceeds of approximately $552,000,000. GTY completed its initial business combination in February 2019 with six companies in the software as a service and cloud software industry, including Bonfire Interactive Ltd., CityBase, Inc., eCivis, Inc., Open Counter Enterprises Inc., Questica Inc. and Questica USCDN Inc. and Sherpa Government Solutions LLC. The pro forma enterprise value of the transaction was approximately $560 million. In October 2018, in connection with a stockholder meeting to approve an extension of the deadline date for GTY to complete an initial business combination, GTY’s public stockholders holding 34,011,538 shares of GTY common stock out of a total of 55,200,000 shares of GTY common stock (approximately 65% of the then outstanding GTY common stock) validly elected to redeem their shares, and, after giving effect to such redemptions, the balance left in GTY’s trust account was approximately $216.8 million. In February 2019, in connection with the stockholders meeting to approve GTY’s initial business combination, holders of 11,073,040 shares of GTY common stock (which, together with the shares redeemed in connection with the extension, totals approximately 86% of the outstanding GTY common stock at the consummation of its initial public offering), exercised their right to redeem those shares for cash at a price of approximately $10.29 per share, or $114 million in the aggregate. GTY raised a PIPE in the amount of approximately $126.3 million in connection with the business combination. Following the business combination, Mr. You served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors from February 2019 to July 2022. GTY’s common stock was traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “GTYH”. On July 7, 2022, GTY was acquired by a private investment firm, GI Partners, for a purchase price of approximately $6.30 per share, or approximately $363 million in aggregate.
Other Merger & Acquisition and Capital Markets Experience
In addition to the prior SPAC experience above, Mr. You, our Chairman of the board of directors, has executed several hundred investments and acquisitions as a managing director in Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley and two other firms from 1989 to 2001, Chief Financial Officer at Accenture from 2001 to 2004 and Oracle from 2004 to 2005, as well as EVP in the Office of the Chairman in charge of Merger & Acquisition and Corporate Development at EMC from 2008 to 2016. Notably, Mr. You helped architect the $67 billion buyout of EMC by Dell Technologies Inc., which has been one of the largest technology acquisitions and leveraged buyout. Recently, as a member of the executive committee of the board of Broadcom, Mr. You provided input on the $92 billion acquisition of VMware LLC by Broadcom.
Mr. You has raised over $2 billion in capital relative to several SPACs and deSPAC transactions and as a banker, has helped garner and execute several dozen initial public offerings of companies including the United Parcel Service, Inc., Galileo, and Perot Systems Corporation. Mr. You was Chief Financial Officer for Accenture in 2001 during its successful initial public offering.
Our management team provides a unique set of capabilities and understanding of the critical success factors for expeditious and efficient execution of a SPAC business combination. Our management team believes this experience can guide us in effectively evaluating potential opportunities and executing a transaction quickly and prudently.
With respect to the foregoing experiences of our management team, past performance is not a guarantee (i) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record and performance of the members of our management team as indicative of the future performance of an investment in us or the financial returns we may, or are likely to, generate going forward. For more information on the experience and background of our management team, see the section entitled “Management.”
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Initial Business Combination
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the private placement of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of this offering), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, other securities issuances or a combination of the foregoing. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against or whether they do not vote or abstain from voting on the proposed transaction, or whether they were a public shareholder on the record date for the general meeting held to approve the proposed transaction. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if the business combination is approved by an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting of the company. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement.
We will have until the end of the completion window to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within the completion window, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our articles to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for an extension, holders of our public shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein and applicable law. Our initial shareholders will lose their entire investment in us, except to the extent they are entitled to receive distributions on the shares they own from assets outside the trust account, if any, upon our liquidation and winding up, if our initial business combination is not completed within the completion window unless we extend the amount of time we have to consummate an initial business combination by obtaining shareholder approval to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. While we do not currently intend to seek such shareholder approval, we may elect to do so in the future. There are no limitations on the number of extensions, including the number of times we may seek to extend. If we do not or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination, our sponsor’s investment in our founder shares and our private placement warrants will be worthless.
If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds, redeem 100% of the public shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law and certain conditions as further described herein. We expect the pro rata redemption price to be approximately $10.00 per public share (regardless of whether or not the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option), without taking into account any interest or other income earned on such funds. However, we cannot assure you that we will in fact be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors, which may take priority over the claims of our public shareholders.
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding any deferred underwriters fees and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent valuation or appraisal firm that regularly provides fairness opinions solely with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it likely that our board will be able to make such independent determination of fair market value, it may be unable to do so if the board is less familiar or experienced with the target company’s business, there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the company’s assets or prospects, including if such company is at an early stage of development, operations or growth, or if the anticipated transaction involves a complex financial analysis or other specialized skills and the board determines that outside expertise would be helpful or necessary in conducting such analysis. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
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We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity interests of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target, however, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test described above. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses.
Our Business Combination Process
We believe our management team’s significant operating and transactional experience and relationships provide us with access to a substantial number of potential initial business combination targets. Over the course of their careers, the members of our management team have developed a broad network of contacts and relationships with private companies, investment bankers, private equity and debt investors, high net worth families and their advisors, commercial bankers, attorneys, management consultants, accountants and other transaction intermediaries, as well as corporate sector executives and board members around the world. This network has grown through the activities of our management team sourcing, acquiring and financing businesses, the reputation of our management team for integrity and fair dealing with sellers, financing sources and target management teams and the experience of our management team in executing transactions, especially special purpose acquisition company transactions, under varying economic and financial market conditions. In addition, our management team has developed a significant network of relationships through the core management team’s long-time sponsorship of special purpose acquisition companies.
This network has provided our management team with a flow of referrals that has resulted in numerous transactions which were proprietary or where a limited group of investors were invited to participate in the sale process. We believe that the network of contacts and relationships of our management team will provide us important sources of investment opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business combination candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity funds and large business enterprises seeking to divest non-core assets or divisions.
Consistent with our business strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We will use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating initial business combination opportunities, but we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines.
● | Size: We intend to target companies whose enterprise value is between $200 million to $1.5 billion. |
● | Focus: Our management team’s multifaceted expertise in assessing a target’s strengths and missing ingredients for growth are key factors in evaluating business combination candidates swiftly and adequately. Our public currency and knowhow with public investors can also confer a significant advantage. |
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● | Management’s maturity: We intend to seek companies with proven and accomplished management teams that are eager to march forward together with and benefit from our management team’s expertise. We intend to devote significant attention and resources to analyzing and reaching alignment among a target’s management and its stakeholders. We look for companies with a significant advantage in knowhow and technology. |
● | Operational Maturity: We intend to seek companies which have the requisite compliance, financial controls and reporting processes in place and are ready for the regulatory requirements of a public entity. |
● | Growth: We will focus on companies with superior growth relative to their market segment in revenues and cashflows. We prefer companies that are differentiated and can price at a similar or stronger pace than underlying price inflation. |
● | Strategic Initiatives: We intend to seek management teams with the interest and ability to execute on strategic opportunities, including accretive acquisitions of companies that have the potential to enhance shareholder value. |
● | Benefit from being public: We intend to work with management and stakeholders who aspire to have their company become a public entity and generate substantial growth. Leveraging our relationships with investment banks and potential strategic partners, the benefits of transitioning from a private to a public entity may include broader access to debt and equity providers, liquidity for employees and potential acquisitions, and expanded branding in the marketplace. |
● | Reputation and market acceptance: We intend to seek companies that have the opportunity to achieve market leadership in their segment. In addition, we intend to seek companies that have defensible proprietary technology and intellectual property rights. |
● | Appropriate Valuations: We view ourselves as rigorous, disciplined and valuation-centric investors, with a keen understanding of market value, upside and potential downside risks. |
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management team may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our shareholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we would file with the SEC.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspections of facilities, as well as reviewing financial and other information made available to us and other reviews as we deem appropriate. We may also retain consultants with expertise relating to a prospective target business.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or completing the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete an initial business combination with a target that is an affiliate (as defined in our articles) of our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions stating that the consideration to be paid by us in such an initial business combination is fair to our company and its shareholders from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
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Members of our management team will directly or indirectly own founder shares and/or private placement warrants following this offering and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. The low price that our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. In addition to their investments (directly or indirectly) in the founder shares and private placement warrants, our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates may make loans or advances to us for working capital from time to time. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, our sponsor, officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us, except to the extent they receive distributions on the founder shares from assets outside the trust account, if any, upon our liquidation and winding up, which could create an incentive for our sponsor, officers and directors to complete a transaction even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. Additionally, each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity.
Our officers and directors presently have and, in the future, may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such opportunity to such entity, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands Law. As a result, our sponsor, officers and directors could have conflicts of interest in determining whether to present business combination opportunities to us or to any other special purpose acquisition company with which they may become involved.
Our articles provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer or the sponsor shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us, and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which (a) may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a member of director, officer or sponsor to any other entity. The purpose for the surrender of corporate opportunities is to allow officers, directors or other representatives with multiple business affiliations to continue to serve as an officer of our company or on our board of directors. Our officers and directors may from time to time be presented with opportunities that could benefit both another business affiliation and us. In the absence of the “corporate opportunity” waiver in our articles, certain candidates would not be able to serve as an officer or director. We believe we substantially benefit from having representatives who bring significant, relevant and valuable experience to our management, and, as a result, the inclusion of the “corporate opportunity” waiver in our articles provide us with greater flexibility to attract and retain the officers and directors that we feel are the best candidates. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete an initial business combination.
Certain members of our sponsor and our officers and directors may have similar responsibilities in, or serve as directors of other SPACs. Mr. You is serving as the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of dMY Squared. In addition, our sponsor and our officers and directors or any of their affiliates may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, we do not believe that such duties or obligations will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. With respect to dMY Squared, the type of transaction we would target would be of a nature different than what dMY Squared would target. For instance, although both we and dMY Squared may pursue an initial business combination target in any industry or geographic region, we plan to focus the target search of our company in AI, as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas, while dMY Squared intends to focus its search on companies within the professional service industry that provide accounting, legal, financial, advisory or other services to public companies or private companies that are in the process of becoming public companies. Even if both we and dMY Squared broaden the scope of search and choose to pursue targets in any industry or geographic region, our management team has significant experience in identifying and executing multiple acquisition opportunities simultaneously, and we believe there are multiple potential opportunities across all industries and geographic region. Second, we have different timelines in completing a business combination. dMY Squared currently has until March 29, 2025 (which may be extended monthly up to 23 times for an additional one month each time to up to December 29, 2025, by resolution of the board of directors of dMY Squared) to complete a business combination. While we expect that dMY Squared will have priority over us with respect to acquisition opportunities, due to a shorter completion window for dMY Squared, a target that we pursue may not be a suitable target for dMY Squared because it may not be able to combine with dMY Squared before its deadline. Additionally, in February 2025, dMY Squared announced that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Horizon, a developer of advanced software development tools for quantum computers, with respect to its initial business combination. However, there is no guarantee that dMY Squared will be able to enter into a definitive business combination agreement with Horizon or, if such agreement is entered into, that it will ultimately be able to consummate a business combination with Horizon. With respect to companies other than dMY Squared, we do not believe, the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors owe to such entities will materially affect our ability to complete an initial business combination, because such entities are not themselves in the business of engaging in business combinations.
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Our Sponsor
Our sponsor, Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, is a Cayman Islands limited liability company, which was formed to invest in us. The activities undertaking by our sponsor are focused on investing in our company. The managing member of our sponsor is Harry You, the Interim Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Chairman of the board of directors of the company. Mr. You controls the management of our sponsor, including the exercise of voting and investment discretion over the securities of our company held by our sponsor. As of the date of this prospectus, Harry You and Robert You, an initial shareholder, adult son of Harry You and the Vice President of Corporate Development of the company, have a direct or indirect material interest in our sponsor. The following table sets forth information regarding the ownership of interests in our sponsor, by each person known by us to have material direct and indirect interests in the sponsor (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) as of the date of this prospectus. Other than Harry You, none of the other members of our sponsor will be officers or directors of, or otherwise participate in the management of our company.
Class X Units2 | Class Y Units3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Name of Beneficial Owner | Number of Units Beneficially Owned |
Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Units |
Corresponding Founder Shares of the Company Held through the Sponsor | Number of Units Beneficially Owned |
Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Units |
Corresponding
Private Placement Warrants of the Company to be Held through the Sponsor |
||||||||||||||||||
Harry L. You1 | - | - | - | 4,000,000 | 100 | % | 4,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||
Robert You | 1,475,000 | 57.3 | % | 1,475,000 | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||
Other non-managing sponsor investors4 | 1,100,000 | 42.7 | % | 1,100,000 | - | - | - |
1. | Harry L. You is the managing member of the sponsor and directs its day to day operations. |
2. | The total outstanding Class X Units of the sponsor represent an interest in 2,575,000 founder shares held by the Sponsor. |
3. | The total outstanding Class Y Units of the sponsor represent an interest in 4,000,000 private placement warrants to be held by the Sponsor. |
4. | We expect that certain non-managing sponsor investors[, none of whom are affiliated with each other or with our officers or directors,] will purchase up to 1,100,000 Class X Units at a price of $2.50 to $5.00 per unit, in private placements that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. |
Class X Units represent interests in our founder shares held by our sponsor. Class Y Units represent interests in our private placement warrants held by our sponsor. The Class X Units and Class Y Units do not confer on the holders voting or other rights to direct or manage our company. The direction and management of our company is vested in the board of directors and management team pursuant to our articles.
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The following table sets forth the payments to be received by our sponsor and its affiliates from us prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and the securities issued and to be issued by us to our sponsor or its affiliates:
Entity | Amount of Compensation to be Received or Securities Issued or to be Issued |
Consideration
Paid or to be Paid | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC | 2,575,000 ordinary shares (of which 375,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). | $8,956.52 (approximately $0.003 per share) | ||
Harry L. You | 2,300,000 ordinary shares (of which 300,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). | $8,000.00 (approximately $0.003 per share) | ||
Robert You | 2,012,500 ordinary shares (of which 262,500 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). | $7,000.00 (approximately $0.003 per share) | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC | 4,000,000 private placement warrants | $4,000,000 ($1.00 per warrant) | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC and/or its affiliates or designees | $15,000 per month | Office space and administrative services provided to members of our management team | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC | Repayment in cash | Up to $300,000 under an unsecured, non-interest bearing promissory note for offering-related and organizational expenses. The loan is due at the earlier of June 30, 2025 or the closing of this offering and are anticipated to be repaid upon completion of this offering | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, an affiliate thereof, or our officers and directors | Repayment in cash, or up to $1.5 million of loans may be repaid in private placement warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender, which conversion may result in material dilution to our public shareholders | Loans to finance the company’s working capital or transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, our officers or directors, or affiliates thereof | Repayment in cash | Any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating, negotiating and completing an initial business combination | ||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, our officers or directors, our advisors, or affiliates thereof | Consulting, success, advisory, or finder’s fees | Any services in order to effectuate the completion of our initial business, which, if made prior to the completion of our initial business combination, will be paid from funds held outside the trust account | ||
Independent Directors | [●] | Cash compensation to be paid upon the earlier of closing an initial business combination or liquidation |
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Because our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant each acquired the founder shares at a nominal price, our public shareholders will incur an immediate and material dilution upon the closing of this offering. Further, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may loan us funds to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination. Such loans may be convertible into private placement warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The issuance of shares upon the exercise of such warrants may result in material dilution to our public shareholders. See the sections titled “Dilution” and “Risk Factors — The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and a consultant for the founder shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination, and the value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share.”
Our founder shares are of the same class as the ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering. Our founder shares are identical to the public shares except that the founder shares are entitled to registration rights and subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail in this prospectus. Unlike in other SPACs, our founder shares do not have conversion and anti-dilution rights in connection with the closing of a business combination. Therefore, if additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination, our founder shares will be diluted by such issuance pro rata with the public shares.
Pursuant to a letter agreement to be entered with us, each of our sponsor, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares has agreed to restrictions on its ability to transfer, assign, or sell the founder shares and private placement warrants, as summarized in the table below. Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors, and consultant, which contains the below provisions relating to transfer restrictions of our founder shares and private placement warrants, may be amended without shareholder approval. Such transfer restrictions have been amended in connection with business combinations for certain other special purpose acquisition companies. While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to the letter agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to the letter agreement.
Subject Securities | Expiration Date | Persons Subject to Restrictions | Exceptions to Transfer Restrictions | |||
Founder Shares | The founder shares are not transferable or salable until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (B), subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) the closing price of the ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period, provided such release shall not occur earlier than 150 days after our initial business combination or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. | Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC Harry L. You Robert You Meteora Capital, LLC |
Transfers are permitted (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliate or family member of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates, (b) in the case of an individual, as a gift to such person’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of such person’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of such person; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; |
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Subject Securities | Expiration Date | Persons Subject to Restrictions | Exceptions to Transfer Restrictions | |||
(e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with any forward purchase agreement or similar arrangement or in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the shares or warrants were originally purchased; (f) by virtue of the laws of the Cayman Islands or our sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of our sponsor, (g) to the company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of an initial business combination; (h) in the event of our liquidation prior to our consummation of our initial business combination; (i) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (a) through (f) above; and (j) in the event that, subsequent to the consummation of an initial business combination, we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (f) or (h), these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement with the company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions herein and the other restrictions contained in this Agreement (including provisions relating to voting, the Trust Account and liquidating distributions). |
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Subject Securities | Expiration Date | Persons Subject to Restrictions | Exceptions to Transfer Restrictions | |||
Private Placement Warrants(1) | The private placement warrants are not transferable or saleable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. | Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC Harry L. You Robert You |
Same as above. | |||
Any units, warrants, ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any units, ordinary shares or warrants | 180 days | Berto
Acquisition Sponsor LLC Robert You Meteora Capital, LLC |
CCM, as the representative of the underwriters in this offering, in its sole discretion may release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time with prior written consent. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors are also subject to separate transfer restrictions on their founder shares and private placement warrants pursuant to the letter agreements described in the immediately preceding paragraphs. |
(1) | The private placement warrants to be purchased by CCM will also be subject to such restrictions and other transfer restrictions under FINRA rules. See the section entitled “Underwriting” for more information. |
Up to 937,500 of the founder shares will be surrendered by our sponsor to us for no consideration depending on the extent to which the underwriter’ over-allotment option is exercised. In addition, although there are no current plans to do so, in order to facilitate our initial business combination or a PIPE financing or for any other reason determined by our sponsor in its sole discretion, our sponsor may surrender or forfeit, transfer or exchange our founder shares, private placement warrants (other than founder shares indirectly owned by the non-managing sponsor investors) or any of our other securities, including for no consideration, as well as subject any such securities to earn-outs or other restrictions, or otherwise amend the terms of any such securities or enter into any other arrangements with respect to any such securities.
The securities held by the sponsor are expected to only be distributed directly to the members of the sponsor in connection with or following the consummation of our initial business combination, provided that such members agree to become subject to the applicable transfer restrictions with respect to such securities. Indirect transfers of the securities held by the sponsor, such as to another member of the sponsor or their affiliate or a new member of the sponsor, may be permitted with the consent of Harry You, the managing member of our sponsor, so long as such transfer complies with the applicable transfer restrictions with respect to such securities.
Additionally, our initial business combination may be subject to regulatory review and approval requirements, including foreign investment regulations and review by government entities such as CFIUS. Our initial shareholders, including our sponsor, will own approximately 20% of our issued and outstanding shares following this offering. Our sponsor is exclusively “controlled” for CFIUS purposes by Harry You, who is a U.S. citizen, and thus we do not believe our sponsor is a “foreign person” as defined in the CFIUS regulations. However, it is possible that non-U.S. persons could be involved in our initial business combination (e.g., as existing shareholders of a target company or as PIPE investors), which may increase the risk that our initial business combination becomes subject to regulatory review, including review by CFIUS. As such, an initial business combination with a U.S. business or foreign business with U.S. subsidiaries that we may wish to pursue may be subject to CFIUS review, or ultimately prohibited. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial business combination may be limited. Please see “Risk Factors — We may not be able to complete an initial business combination since such initial business combination may be subject to regulatory review and approval requirement, including foreign investment regulations and review by government entities such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or may be ultimately prohibited.” for additional information.
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Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As an existing public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination with us. In a business combination transaction with us, the owners of the target business may, for example, exchange their shares of stock or shares or other equity interests in the target business for our ordinary shares (or shares of a new holding company) or for a combination of our ordinary shares and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers. We believe target businesses will find this method a more expeditious and cost-effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. The typical initial public offering process takes a significantly longer period of time than the typical business combination transaction process, and there are significant expenses and market and other uncertainties in the initial public offering process, including underwriting discounts and commissions, marketing and road show efforts that may not be present to the same extent in connection with a business combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed initial business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or could have negative valuation consequences. Following an initial business combination, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital, an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with shareholders’ interests and the ability to use its shares as currency for acquisitions. Being a public company can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
While we believe that our structure and our management team’s backgrounds will make us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may view our status as a blank check company, such as our lack of an operating history and our ability to seek shareholder approval of any proposed initial business combination, negatively.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, or (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30.
Financial Position
With funds available for a business combination initially in the amount of $250,000,000 (assuming no redemptions), (or $287,500,000 (assuming no redemptions) if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third party financing and there can be no assurance it will be available to us.
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Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
● | subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination, and |
● | cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services. |
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target’s Management Team
Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’s management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination
We may conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC subject to the provisions of our articles. However, we will seek shareholder approval if it is required by law or applicable stock exchange rule, or we may decide to seek shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons.
Under Nasdaq listing rules, shareholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
● | we issue ordinary shares that will be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of our ordinary shares then issued and outstanding (other than in a public offering); |
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● | any of our directors, officers or substantial shareholders (as defined by Nasdaq rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired or otherwise and the present or potential issuance of ordinary shares could result in an increase in outstanding ordinary shares or voting power of 5% or more; or |
● | the issuance or potential issuance of ordinary shares will result in our undergoing a change of control. |
The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination in those instances in which shareholder approval is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on business and legal reasons, which include a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: (i) the timing of the transaction, including in the event we determine shareholder approval would require additional time and there is either not enough time to seek shareholder approval or doing so would place the company at a disadvantage in the transaction or result in other additional burdens on the company; (ii) the expected cost of holding a shareholder vote; (iii) the risk that the shareholders would fail to approve the proposed business combination; (iv) other time and budget constraints of the company; and (v) additional legal complexities of a proposed business combination that would be time-consuming and burdensome to present to shareholders.
Permitted Purchases of Our Securities
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation or duty to do so. Any such price per share may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgment that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights.
In the event that our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. It is intended that, if Rule 10b-18 would apply to purchases by sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates, then such purchases will comply with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, to the extent it applies, which provides a safe harbor for purchases made under certain conditions, including with respect to timing, pricing and volume of purchases.
Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares, rights or warrants in such transactions.
The purpose of any such transaction could be to (i) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination (as any shares purchased would no longer be voted in connection with the business combination and therefore could not be voted against such transaction), (ii) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding and/or increase the likelihood of approval on any matters submitted to public warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (iii) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met.
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In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our ordinary shares or public warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Our sponsor, initial shareholders, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our initial shareholders, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the shareholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by shareholders (in the case of public shares) following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling shareholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such shareholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination but only if such shares have not already been voted at the shareholder meeting related to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase shares from based on a negotiated price and number of shares and any other factors that they may deem relevant and will only purchase shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws. Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will be restricted from making purchases of shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. We expect any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchases are subject to such reporting requirements.
Our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers and their affiliates will be restricted from making purchases of shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. Additionally, in the event our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers and their affiliates were to purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders, such purchases would be structured in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act including, in pertinent part, through adherence to the following:
● | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would disclose the possibility that our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders outside the redemption process, along with the purpose of such purchases; |
● | if our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates were to purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders, they would do so at a price no higher than the price offered through our redemption process; |
● | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would include a representation that any of our securities purchased by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction; |
● | our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers and their affiliates would not possess any redemption rights with respect to our securities or, if they do acquire and possess redemption rights, they would waive such rights; and |
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● | we would disclose in a Form 8-K, before our security holder meeting to approve the business combination transaction, the following material items: |
● | the amount of our securities purchased outside of the redemption offer by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates, along with the purchase price; |
● | the purpose of the purchases by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates; |
● | the impact, if any, of the purchases by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates on the likelihood that the business combination transaction will be approved; |
● | the identities of our security holders who sold to our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates (if not purchased on the open market) or the nature of our security holders (e.g., 5% security holders) who sold to our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers and their affiliates; and |
● | the number of our securities for which we have received redemption requests pursuant to our redemption offer. |
Please see “Risk Factors — If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may elect to purchase public shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our securities.”
Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. Our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares they hold and public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors may hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
Limitations on Redemptions
Our proposed initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we may not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares in connection with such initial business combination, and all public shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof. We may, however, raise funds through the issuance of equity-linked securities or through loans, advances or other indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop arrangements we may enter into following consummation of this offering, in order to, among other reasons, satisfy such minimum cash requirements.
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Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (ii) without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement or whether we were deemed to be a foreign private issuer (which would require a tender offer rather than seeking shareholder approval under SEC rules), as described above under the heading “ — Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination.” Asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our articles would require shareholder approval. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with Nasdaq’s shareholder approval rules.
The requirement that we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares by one of the two methods listed above will be contained in provisions of our articles and will apply whether or not we maintain our registration under the Exchange Act or our listing on Nasdaq. Such provisions may be amended if approved by a special resolution passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company, so long as we offer redemption in connection with such amendment.
If we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares in connection with a general meeting, we will:
● | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and |
● | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive the approval of an ordinary resolution, passed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders of the issued shares represented in person or represented by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company. In accordance with our articles, a quorum for such meeting will be present if the holders of one third of issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote at the meeting are represented in person or by proxy. Our initial shareholders will count towards this quorum and, pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares have agreed to vote any founder shares they hold and any public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) purchased by the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors during or after this offering (including in open market and privately-negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination (except that any public shares such parties may purchase in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction). For purposes of seeking approval of an ordinary resolution, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need
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9,375,001 or 37.5% of the 25,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted, the over- allotment option is not exercised and the parties to the letter agreement do not acquire any public shares). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our articles, vote their ordinary shares at a general meeting of the company, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. However, if our initial business combination is structured as a statutory merger or consolidation with another company under Cayman Islands law, a special resolution passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company will need to be passed by our shareholders approving a plan of merger. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial shareholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction, or whether they do not vote or abstain from voting on the proposed transaction, or whether they were a shareholder on the record date for the shareholder meeting held to approve the proposed transaction.
If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will:
● | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and |
● | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination, which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. |
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than the number of public shares we are permitted to redeem. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination.
Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we elect to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our public shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
We intend to require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their share certificates to our transfer agent or deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system, prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote, we intend to require a public shareholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the scheduled vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. The proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. We believe that this will allow our transfer agent to efficiently process any redemptions without the need for further communication or action from the redeeming public shareholders, which could delay redemptions and result in additional administrative cost. If the proposed initial business combination is not approved and we continue to search for a target company, we will promptly return any certificates or shares delivered by public shareholders who elected to redeem their shares.
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Our proposed initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we may not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares in connection with such initial business combination, and all public shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof. We may, however, raise funds through the issuance of equity-linked securities or through loans, advances or other indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop arrangements we may enter into following consummation of this offering, in order to, among other reasons, satisfy such minimum cash requirements.
Limitation on Redemption Upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination If We Seek Shareholder Approval
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our articles will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to Excess Shares, without our prior consent. We believe this restriction will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed business combination as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us, our sponsor or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash.
However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
Delivering Share Certificates in Connection with the Exercise of Redemption Rights
As described above, we intend to require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their share certificates to our transfer agent or deliver their shares (and share certificates (if any) and other redemption forms) to our transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system, prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote, we intend to require a public shareholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the scheduled vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. The proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the initial business combination if we distribute proxy materials, or from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, as applicable, to submit or tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures disclosed in the proxy or tender offer materials, as applicable, its shares may not be redeemed. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
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There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC system. The transfer agent will typically charge the broker submitting or tendering shares a fee of approximately $100 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to submit or tender their shares (and share certificates (if any) and other redemption forms). The need to deliver or tender shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed initial business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete an initial business combination with a different target until the end of the completion window.
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation if No Initial Business Combination
Our articles will provide that we will have only the duration of the completion window to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will constitute full and complete payment for the public shares and completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation or other distributions, if any), subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and subject to the other requirements of applicable law.
Our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account. However, if our initial shareholders, sponsor or management team acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account and liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted 24-month time period.
Our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors, director nominees, and the consultant who owns founder shares have agreed, pursuant to a letter agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our articles (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares.
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We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our winding up, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the approximately $1,530,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our winding up, to the extent that there is any interest accrued in the trust account not required to pay income taxes on interest income earned on the trust account balance, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account and any tax payments or expenses for the dissolution of the trust, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.00. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be substantially less than $10.00. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will consider whether competitive alternatives are reasonably available to us and will only enter into an agreement with such third party if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be in the best interests of the company under the circumstances. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. The underwriters of this offering and our independent registered public accounting firm will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. In order to protect the amounts held in the trust account, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us (except for the company’s independent auditors), or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes paid or payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
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In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case less taxes paid or payable, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.00 per share.
We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We will have access to up to approximately $1,530,000 from the proceeds of this offering with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $1,720,000, we may fund such excess with funds from the funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $1,220,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
If we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.00 per share to our public shareholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/ or bankruptcy or insolvency laws as either a preferential transfer or a fraudulent conveyance. As a result, a bankruptcy or insolvency court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only (i) in the event of the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window, (ii) in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity or (iii) if they redeem their respective shares for cash in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a shareholder’s voting in connection with the business combination alone will not result in a shareholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights described above. These provisions of our articles, like all provisions of our articles, may be amended with a shareholder vote.
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Comparison of Redemption or Purchase Prices in Connection with Our Initial Business Combination and if We Fail to Complete Our Initial Business Combination.
The following table compares the redemptions and other permitted purchases of public shares that may take place in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window.
Redemptions in Connection with our Initial Business Combination | Other Permitted Purchases of Public Shares by our Affiliates | Redemptions if we fail to Complete an Initial Business Combination | ||||
Calculation of redemption price | Redemptions at the time of our initial business combination may be made pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. The redemption price will be the same whether we conduct redemptions pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. In either case, our public shareholders may redeem their public shares for cash equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per share), including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued outstanding public shares, subject to any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) agreed to in connection with the negotiation of terms of a proposed business combination. | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market prior to completion of our initial business combination. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. | If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds, redeem all public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount, then on deposit in the trust account (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per share), including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. | |||
Impact to remaining shareholders | The redemptions in connection with our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for our remaining shareholders, who will bear the burden of the deferred underwriting commissions and interest withdrawn in order to pay our taxes (to the extent not paid from amounts accrued as interest on the funds held in the trust account). | If the permitted purchases described above are made, there would be no impact to our remaining shareholders because the purchase price would not be paid by us. | The redemption of our public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for the shares held by our initial shareholders, who will be our only remaining shareholders after such redemptions. |
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Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419
The following table compares the terms of this offering to the terms of an offering by a blank check company subject to the provisions of Rule 419. This comparison assumes that the gross proceeds, underwriting commissions and underwriting expenses of our offering would be identical to those of an offering undertaken by a company subject to Rule 419, and that the underwriters will not exercise their over- allotment option. None of the provisions of Rule 419 apply to our offering.
Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Escrow of offering proceeds | $250,000,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States at [JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.], with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. | Approximately $170,100,000 of the offering proceeds, representing the gross proceeds of this offering, would be required to be deposited into either an escrow account with an insured depositary institution or in a separate bank account established by a broker-dealer in which the broker-dealer acts as trustee for persons having the beneficial interests in the account. | ||
Investment of net proceeds | $250,000,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants held in trust will be held as cash or interest-bearing deposits or invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations; the holding of these assets in this form is intended to be temporary and for the sole purpose of facilitating the intended business combination and, may at any time be held as cash or cash items, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank. | Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States. | ||
Receipt of interest on escrowed funds | Interest on proceeds from the trust account to be paid to shareholders is reduced by (i) any taxes paid or payable and (ii) in the event of our liquidation for failure to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time, up to $100,000 of net interest that may be released to us should we have no or insufficient working capital to fund the costs and expenses of our dissolution and liquidation. | Interest on funds in escrow account would be held for the sole benefit of investors, unless and only after the funds held in escrow were released to us in connection with our completion of a business combination. | ||
Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business | We must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding any deferred underwriters fees and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. |
The fair value or net assets of a target business must represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds. |
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Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Trading of securities issued | The units are expected to begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless CCM informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. If the over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the over-allotment option. |
No trading of the units or the underlying ordinary shares and warrants would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account. | ||
Exercise of the warrants | The warrants cannot be exercised until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. | The warrants could be exercised prior to the completion of a business combination, but securities received and cash paid in connection with the exercise would be deposited in the escrow or trust account. | ||
Election to remain an investor | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares, regardless of whether they abstain, vote for, or against, our initial business combination, for cash at a per share price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein. We may not be required by law to hold a shareholder vote. If we are not required by law and do not otherwise decide to hold a shareholder vote, we will, pursuant to our articles, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, we hold a shareholder vote, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, |
A prospectus containing information pertaining to the business combination required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of a post-effective amendment to the company’s registration statement, to decide if he, she or it elects to remain a shareholder of the company or require the return of his, her or its investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45th business day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account are automatically returned to the shareholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all funds on deposit in the escrow account must be returned to all of the investors and none of the securities are issued.
If an acquisition has not been completed within 18 months after the effective date of the company’s registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account are returned to investors. |
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Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, passed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders of the issued shares represented in person or represented by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company. However, if our initial business combination is structured as a statutory merger or consolidation with another company under Cayman Islands law, a special resolution passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company will need to be passed by our shareholders approving a plan of merger. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or whether they do not vote or abstain from voting on the proposed transaction, or whether they were a public shareholder on the record date for the general meeting held to approve the proposed transaction.
If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the completion window, we will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation or other distributions, if any), subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and subject to the other requirements of applicable law. |
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Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Release of funds | Except for the withdrawal of interest to pay our taxes, if any, none of the funds held in trust will be released from the trust account until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity. The proceeds held in the escrow account are not released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | The proceeds held in the escrow account are not released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. |
Delivering share certificates in connection with the exercise of redemption rights | We intend to require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their share certificates to our transfer agent or deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system, prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote, we intend to require a public shareholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the scheduled vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. The proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery |
Many blank check companies provide that a shareholder can vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating that such shareholder is seeking to exercise its redemption rights. After the business combination is approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for delivery of its share certificates to verify ownership. |
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Terms of Our Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
requirements, which will include the requirement that any beneficial owner on whose behalf a redemption right is being exercised must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the initial business combination if we distribute proxy materials, or from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, as applicable, to submit or tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. |
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Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering if we hold a shareholder vote | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our articles will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to Excess Shares, without our prior consent.
However, we would not restrict our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. |
Many blank check companies provide no restrictions on the ability of shareholders to redeem shares based on the number of shares held by such shareholders in connection with an initial business combination. |
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other special purpose acquisition companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, public companies and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess similar or greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Facilities
We currently utilize office space at 1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144 from our sponsor. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations. Subsequent to the closing of this offering, we will pay our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees an aggregate of up to $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial, administrative and support services provided to us and members of our management team. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
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Employees
We currently have one officer, Harry You, who serves our Interim Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Chairman of board of directors. Mr. You is not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but he intends to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time he will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We will register our units, ordinary shares and warrants under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents sent to shareholders to assist them in assessing the target business. In all likelihood, these financial statements will need to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may conduct an initial business combination with because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential business combination candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with the requirements outlined above, or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the extent that these requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential business combination candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to have our internal control procedures audited. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.
On or prior to the date of this prospectus, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act. As an exempted company, we have applied for and received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that, in accordance with Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 30 years from the date of the undertaking, no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations will apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax will be payable (i) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (ii) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of a payment of dividend or other distribution of income or capital by us to our shareholders or a payment of principal or interest or other sums due under a debenture or other obligation of us.
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We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30th, or (2) our annual revenues equaled to or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th.
Legal Proceedings
There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management team and our board of directors in their capacity as such.
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Officers, Directors and Director Nominees
Our officers, directors and director nominees are as follows:
Name | Age | Position | ||
Harry L. You | 64 | Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors and Interim Chief Financial Officer | ||
Sam Lynn | 57 | Director Nominee | ||
[●] | ||||
[●] |
Harry L. You
Harry L. You is an experienced executive, chief financial officer and board member with extensive experience with technology companies. Harry has served as Chairman of the Board of Coliseum since June 2023 until the closing of its initial business combination in December 2024, and served as interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer from June 2023 until July 2023, and he currently serves as Chairman of Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. (Nasdaq: RAIN). Mr. You has also served as Chairman of the Board and a Director of dMY Squared since March 2022, as well as Chief Financial Officer since February 2022 and Chief Executive Officer since February 2025. From March 2022 until his resignation in March 2023, Mr. You has also served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of dMY Squared. He has also been a member of the Audit Committee of Broadcom since January 2019 as well as Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Broadcom. Previously, he was Chief Financial Officer from September 2016 to August 2019 and President in May 2019 and from September 2016 to February 2019 and in May 2019 of GTY, a software as a service company that offers cloud-based solutions for the public sector. He was Executive Vice President in the Office of the Chairman of EMC from 2008 to 2016. When Mr. You joined EMC in 2008, he oversaw corporate strategy and new business development, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and venture capital activity. He was Chief Executive Officer from 2005 to 2007 and Interim Chief Financial Officer from 2005 to 2006 of BearingPoint Inc. (formerly KPMG Consulting), a leading IT and management consultancy. He was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Oracle from 2004 to 2005, in which capacity, he helped start Oracle’s acquisition run with takeovers of Peoplesoft, Inc. and Retek in 2005. Prior to joining Oracle, he held several key positions in finance, including as Chief Financial Officer of Accenture Ltd. from 2001 to 2004, guiding Accenture through its initial public offering, and a managing director in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley. He has also served as a trustee of the U.S. Olympic Committee Foundation from 2016 to 2022. Mr. You served as a director of IonQ, Inc. from October 2021 to February 2025. Mr. You served as Vice Chairman of the Board of GTY from February 2019 to July 2022 and as director of Coupang, Inc. from January 2021 to June 2023, Genius Sports Limited from April 2021 to December 2022, Rush Street Interactive, Inc. from September 2019 to June 2022, dMY II (a special purpose acquisition company) from June 2020 to April 2021, dMY IV (a special purpose acquisition company) from December 2020 to April 2023, and Korn/Ferry International from 2005 to 2016. Mr. You holds an M.A. in Economics from Yale University and a B.A. in Economics from Harvard College.
We believe Mr. You is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive and varied deal experience throughout his career, including his experience structuring Dell Technologies Inc.’s $67 billion acquisition of EMC as EMC’s Executive Vice President, his network of contacts in the technology sector, and his prior special purpose acquisition company experience with seven other special purpose acquisition companies (GTY, Coliseum and dMY SPACs).
Sam Lynn
Sam Lynn will serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Sam has been a partner at WilliamsMarston LLC and Chord Advisors LLC since 2014. Both firms specialize in financial accounting advisory services for publicly listed and private equity-backed companies, with Chord Advisors being acquired by WilliamsMarston in 2021. Prior to this, he served as Vice President at Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. from 2007 to 2014 and held the role of Executive Director at UBS AG prior to his tenure at Goldman Sachs. Sam began his career in public accounting, holding various assurance roles with EY and KPMG, ultimately serving as a partner in KPMG’s U.S. National Office. He earned a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Oklahoma and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in New York State.
We believe Mr. Lynn is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive financial accounting advisory experience and his experience advising public companies.
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Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we expect that our board of directors will consist of [●] members. Our board will be divided into three classes, with only one class of directors being appointed in each year, and with each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of [●], will expire at our first annual meeting of shareholders. In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of [●] will expire at our second annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the third class of directors consisting of [●], will expire at our third annual meeting of shareholders. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after we consummate our initial business combination. Subject to any other special rights applicable to the shareholders, any vacancies on our board of directors may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present and voting at the meeting of our board, or by a majority of the holders of our ordinary shares. Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Subject to the Companies Act, our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices of Secretary and any other office that may be required, (including one or more chief executive officers, presidents, a chief financial officer, a treasurer, vice-presidents, one or more assistant vice-presidents, one or more assistant treasurers and one or more assistant secretaries) as it deems appropriate.
Director Independence
The rules of Nasdaq require that a majority of our board of directors be independent within one year of our initial public offering. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person who, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we expect to have [●] “independent director” as defined in Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules prior to completion of this offering. Our board of directors has determined that each of [●], [●], and [●] is an “independent director” as defined in Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Certain exemptions are available to us under the rules of Nasdaq and under Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act that allow companies a phase-in period for complying with committee independence requirements after an initial public offering. Under these exemptions, companies are permitted to phase in compliance with these rules and regulations as follows: (1) one member must satisfy the requirement at the time of listing; (2) a majority of members must satisfy the requirement within 90 days of listing; and (3) all members must satisfy the requirement within one year of listing. Furthermore, companies listing in connection with their initial public offering have twelve months from the date of listing to comply with the majority independent board requirement. We do not intend to rely on these exemptions.
Officer and Director Compensation
As of the date of this prospectus, none of our officers has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on the date that our securities are first listed on Nasdaq through the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, we will pay our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial, administrative and support services provided to us and members of our management team. As more fully discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled “The Offering — Limited payments to insiders”, our sponsor, officers and directors, or any affiliate of theirs, will be entitled to certain payments including, but not limited to, reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. In addition, we have agreed, pursuant to the administrative services and indemnification agreement with our sponsor relating to the monthly payment for office space and administrative services described above, that we will indemnify our sponsor from any claims arising out of or relating to this offering or the company’s operations or conduct of the company’s business or any claim against our sponsor alleging any expressed or implied management or endorsement by our sponsor of any of the company’s activities or any express or implied association between our sponsor and the company or any of its affiliates, which agreement will provide that the indemnified parties cannot access the funds held in our trust account. Additionally, these individuals will be eligible to receive a transfer or reallocation of founder shares for any extraordinary services rendered in order to identify or effectuate the consummation of our initial business combination. We may pay cash compensation to our independent directors for services rendered to us. Additionally, we may pay consulting, success, advisory, or finder’s fees to our sponsor, our officers or directors, our advisors, or affiliates thereof in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made from funds held outside the trust account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such payments, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination.
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After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed initial business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed initial business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.
We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our board of directors will have three standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Each of our audit committee, our compensation committee and our nominating and corporate governance committee will be composed solely of independent directors. Subject to phase-in rules, the Nasdaq listing rule and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and the rules of Nasdaq require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee will operate under a charter that will be approved by our board and will have the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee will be available on our website following the closing of this offering.
Audit Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish an audit committee of the board of directors. The initial members of our audit committee will be Sam Lynn, [●] and [●], each of whom meet the independent director standard under Nasdaq listing standards and under Rule 10-A-3(b)(1) of the Exchange Act. [●] will serve as chairperson of the audit committee.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that [●] qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.
We will adopt an audit committee charter, which will detail the purpose and principal functions of the audit committee, including:
● | assisting board oversight of (1) the integrity of our financial statements, (2) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (3) our independent auditor’s qualifications and independence, and (4) the performance of our internal audit function and independent auditors; the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent auditors and any other independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us; |
● | pre-approving all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditors or any other registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures; reviewing and discussing with the independent auditors all relationships the auditors have with us in order to evaluate their continued independence; |
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● | setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent auditors describing (1) the independent auditor’s internal quality-control procedures and (2) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues; |
● | meeting to review and discuss our annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor, including reviewing our specific disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”; reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and |
● | reviewing with management, the independent auditors, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. |
Compensation Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish a compensation committee of the board of directors. The initial members of our compensation committee will be Sam Lynn and [●]. Under Nasdaq listing rules and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least two members of the compensation committee, all of whom must be independent. Sam Lynn and [●] are independent and [●] chairs the compensation committee.
We will adopt a compensation committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
● | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our chief executive officer’s compensation, evaluating our chief executive officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our chief executive officer based on such evaluation; |
● | reviewing and making recommendations to our board of directors with respect to the compensation, and any incentive compensation and equity-based plans that are subject to board approval of all of our other officers; |
● | reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans; |
● | implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; |
● | assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements; |
● | approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our officers and employees; |
● | producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and |
● | reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
The charter will also provide that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, independent legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser.
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However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors. The initial members of our nominating and corporate governance will be Sam Lynn, [●] and [●] and [●] serves as chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee.
We will adopt a nominating and corporate governance committee charter, which will detail the purpose and responsibilities of the nominating and corporate governance committee, including:
● | identifying, screening and reviewing individuals qualified to serve as directors, consistent with criteria approved by the board, and recommending to the board of directors candidates for nomination for appointment at the annual general meeting of shareholders or to fill vacancies on the board of directors; |
● | developing and recommending to the board of directors and overseeing implementation of our corporate governance guidelines; |
● | coordinating and overseeing the annual self-evaluation of the board of directors, its committees, individual directors and management in the governance of the company; and |
● | reviewing on a regular basis our overall corporate governance and recommending improvements as and when necessary. |
The charter will also provide that the nominating and corporate governance committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of, and terminate, any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, and will be directly responsible for approving the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our shareholders. Prior to our initial business combination, holders of our public shares will not have the right to recommend director candidates for nomination to our board of directors.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our executive officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors.
Clawback Policy
We will adopt a compensation recovery policy that is compliant with Nasdaq listing rules as required by the Dodd-Frank Act.
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Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will adopt a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We will file a copy of our Code of Ethics as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You will be able to review this document by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and the charters of the committees of our board of directors will be provided without charge upon request from us. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.” If we make any amendments to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics other than technical, administrative or other non-substantive amendments, or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions requiring disclosure under applicable SEC or Nasdaq rules, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website. The information included on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Form S-1 or in any other report or document we file with the SEC, and any references to our website are intended to be inactive textual references only.
Conflicts of Interest
Under Cayman Islands law, directors and officers owe the following fiduciary duties:
(i) | duty to act in good faith in what the director or officer believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole; |
(ii) | duty to exercise powers for the purposes for which those powers were conferred and not for a collateral purpose; |
(iii) | directors should not improperly fetter the exercise of future discretion; |
(iv) | duty to exercise powers fairly as between different sections of shareholders; |
(v) | duty not to put themselves in a position in which there is a conflict between their duty to the company and their personal interests; and |
(vi) | duty to exercise independent judgment. |
In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience of that director.
As set out above, directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the memorandum and articles of association or alternatively by shareholder approval at general meetings.
Our officers and directors presently and in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our articles provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer or the sponsor shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which (a) may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a member of director, officer or sponsor to any other entity. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
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Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our officers and directors currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations:
Individual | Entity | Entity’s Business | Affiliation | |||
Harry L. You | Broadcom Inc. | Semiconductor manufacturing company | Director Member of the Executive Committee and Chairman of the Compensation Committee | |||
Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. | Ionization rainfall generation technology development company | Chairman of the Board of Directors | ||||
dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. | Blank check company | Chairman of the Board of Directors; Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer | ||||
Sam Lynn | WilliamsMarston LLC | Accounting, tax, valuation and transaction advisory firm | Partner |
In addition, our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, based on the fact that we have different timelines in completing a business combination, that we plan to focus the target search of our company in AI, as well as in the rapidly growing wellness, longevity and aesthetics areas, and that the type of transaction we would target would be of a nature different than what they would target, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Potential investors should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:
● | Our officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full- time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. |
● | Our sponsor and members of our management team will directly or indirectly own our securities following this offering, and accordingly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Out sponsor paid a nominal aggregate purchase price of $8,956.52 for 2,575,000 founder shares, or approximately $0.003 per share. Harry L. You, our Chairman of the board of directors, paid a nominal aggregate purchase price of $8,000 for 2,300,000 founder shares, or approximately $0.003 per share. Accordingly, our management team, which owns interest in our sponsor and includes member directly owns founder shares, may be more willing to pursue a business combination with a riskier or less-established target business than would be the case if our sponsor and sponsor affiliates had paid the same per share price for the founder shares as our public shareholders paid for their public shares. Furthermore, certain members of our management team may receive compensation upon consummation of our initial business combination, and accordingly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination as such compensation will not be received unless we consummate such business combination. In the event our sponsor or members of our management team provide loans to us to finance transaction costs and/or incur expenses on our behalf in connection with an initial business combination, such persons may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination as such loans may not be repaid and/or such expenses may not be reimbursed unless we consummate such business combination. Additionally, subsequent to the closing of this offering and until the closing of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will pay our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees an aggregate of $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team. Since payment for such administrative services will be deferred and payable upon the closing of a business combination and will only be paid out of funds remaining outside of Trust Account, our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees who are to receive such deferred monthly payment may have similar conflicts of interests. Similarly, if we agree to pay our sponsor, our officers or directors, our advisors, or affiliates thereof consulting, success, advisory, or finder’s fees in order to effectuate the completion of our initial business combination, such persons may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination as any such fee may not be paid unless we consummate such business combination. |
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● | Our initial shareholders purchased founder shares prior to the date of this prospectus and our sponsor will purchase private placement warrants in a transaction that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Our initial shareholders have entered into agreements with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and any public shares they hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. The other members of our management team have entered into agreements similar to the one entered into by our initial shareholders with respect to any public shares acquired by them in or after this offering. Additionally, our initial shareholders have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame or any extended period of time that we may have to consummate an initial business combination as a result of an amendment to our articles, although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account. |
● | Additionally, our initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier to occur of: (i) one year after the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) if the closing price of the ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30 trading-day period commencing at least 150 days after the company’s initial business combination or (iii) the date on which the company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the company’s public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property (except with respect to permitted transferees as described herein under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares, Private Placement Units and Restricted Private Placement Shares”). Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up. Because each of our officers and director nominees will own ordinary shares or warrants directly or indirectly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. The low price that our sponsor, officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, the founder shares, except to the extent they receive liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account, which could create an incentive for our sponsor, officers and directors to complete a transaction even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. |
● | Our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. |
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors or completing the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors; accordingly, such affiliated person(s) may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination as such affiliated person(s) would have interests different from our public shareholders and would likely not receive any financial benefit unless we consummated such business combination. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking which is a member of FINRA or from another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions stating that the consideration we are paying is fair to our company and its shareholders from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. Further, commencing on the date our securities are first listed on Nasdaq, we will also pay our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees an aggregate of $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team.
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We cannot assure you that any of the above-mentioned conflicts will be resolved in our favor.
In the event that we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our initial shareholders have agreed to vote their founder shares, and they and the other members of our management team have agreed to vote any founder shares they hold and any shares purchased during or after the offering in favor of our initial business combination (except that any public shares such parties may purchase in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction).
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, actual fraud or willful neglect. Accordingly, our articles provide for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect. We expect to purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Our indemnification obligations may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
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The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of the date of this prospectus, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our ordinary shares included in the units offered by this prospectus, and assuming no purchase of units in this offering, by:
● | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares; |
● | each of our executive officers, directors and director nominees; and |
● | all our executive officers, directors and director nominees as a group. |
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all of our ordinary shares beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record or beneficial ownership of the private placement warrants as these warrants are not exercisable within 60 days of the date of this prospectus.
In November 2024, our sponsor and sponsor affiliates paid $23,956.52 for an aggregate of 6,887,500 founder shares (up to 937,500 of which will be surrendered to us for no consideration after the closing of this offering depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and a consultant paid $1,043.48 for an aggregate of 300,000 founder shares (none of which are subject to forfeiture in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option), for a total of 7,187,500 founder shares issued for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share. The “sponsor affiliates” include Harry You, who acts as our Chairman of the board of directors and the managing member of the Sponsor, and Robert You, adult son of Harry You. Both Messrs. You directly own membership interests in our sponsor. Out of the total 6,887,500 founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates, the sponsor, Harry You and Robert You each directly holds 2,575,000, 2,300,000 and 2,012,500 founder shares, respectively, each purchased at approximately $0.003 per share. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by the initial shareholders, we had no assets, tangible or intangible. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued. The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of this offering would be a maximum of 28,750,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. Up to 937,500 of the founder shares held by the sponsor and sponsor affiliates will be forfeited depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. The post-offering percentages in the following table assume that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option, that our sponsor and sponsor affiliates have forfeited 937,500 founder shares, and that there are 31,250,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding after this offering.
Before Offering | After Offering | |||||||||||||||
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) | Number of Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned | Percentage | Number of Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned | Percentage | ||||||||||||
Directors, Director Nominees, and Executive Officers | ||||||||||||||||
Harry L. You(2)(3) | 4,875,000 | 67.8 | % | 4,200,000 | 13.4 | % | ||||||||||
Sam Lynn | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
[●] | ||||||||||||||||
[●] | ||||||||||||||||
All officers, directors and director nominees as a group ([●] individuals) | ||||||||||||||||
5% Holders | ||||||||||||||||
Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC(3) | 2,575,000 | 35.8 | % | 2,200,000 | 7.0 | % | ||||||||||
Robert You (4) | 2,012,500 | 28.0 | % | 1,750,000 | 5.6 | % |
* | Less than one percent. |
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(1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following is 1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144. | |
(2) | Interests shown consist solely of founder shares. Before Offering, includes 2,575,000 shares directly held by Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC and 2,300,000 shares held by Harry L. You’s Roth IRA, and includes 675,000 founder shares that will be forfeited depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. After Offering, assumes that the overallotment option is not exercised and all 675,000 founder shares subject to forfeiture are forfeited. | |
(3) | Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC is the record holder of the 2,575,000 shares reported herein. Harry L. You is the sole managing member of Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC. Harry L. You has voting and investment discretion with respect to the ordinary shares held of record by Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC. Before Offering, includes 375,000 founder shares that will be forfeited depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. After Offering, assumes that the overallotment option is not exercised and all 375,000 founder shares subject to forfeiture are forfeited. | |
(4) | Includes shares held by Robert You’s Roth IRA. Before Offering, includes 262,500 founder shares that will be forfeited depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. After Offering, assumes that the overallotment option is not exercised and all 262,500 founder shares subject to forfeiture are forfeited. |
Immediately after this offering, our initial shareholders will collectively beneficially own 20% of the then issued and outstanding ordinary shares (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering).
Our sponsor and the underwriters have committed, pursuant to written agreements, to purchase an aggregate of 7,750,000 private placement warrants (including if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), each exercisable to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination, for an aggregate purchase price of $7,750,000 or $1.00 per warrant, in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Of the 7,750,000 private placement warrants, our sponsor has agreed to purchase 4,000,000 private placement warrants and the underwriters have agreed to purchase 3,750,000 private placement warrants. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering except that, (i) they (including the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by our sponsor until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) they (including the underlying shares) will be entitled to registration rights; (iii) they will not be redeemable by us; and (iv) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis. With respect to any private placement warrants held by CCM and/or their respective designees, such private placement warrants will be subject to the lock-up and registration rights limitations imposed by FINRA Rule 5110 and will not be exercisable more than five (5) years from the commencement of sales in this offering in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8). A portion of the purchase price of the private placement warrants will be added to the proceeds from this offering to be held in the trust account such that at the time of closing of this offering $250,000,000 (or $287,500,000 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) will be held in the trust account. The private placement warrants are subject to the transfer restrictions described below.
Our sponsor is deemed to be our “promoter”, as such term is defined under the federal securities laws.
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Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants
The founder shares, private placement warrants and any ordinary shares issued upon exercise thereof are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in a letter agreement entered into by our initial shareholders and management team. Those lock-up provisions provide that such securities are not transferable or salable (i) in the case of the founder shares, until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) in the case of the private placement warrants and the respective ordinary shares underlying such warrants, until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination except in each case (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliate or family member of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, as a gift to such person’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of such person’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of such person; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with any forward purchase agreement or similar arrangement or in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the shares or warrants were originally purchased; (f) by virtue of the laws of the Cayman Islands or our sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of our sponsor, (g) to the company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of an initial business combination; (h) in the event of our liquidation prior to our consummation of our initial business combination; (i) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (a) through (f) above; and (j) in the event that, subsequent to the consummation of an initial business combination, we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (f) or (h), these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement with the company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions herein and the other restrictions contained in this Agreement (including provisions relating to voting, the Trust Account and liquidating distributions).
Registration Rights
The holders of the (i) founder shares, which were issued in a private placement prior to the closing of this offering, (ii) private placement warrants, which will be issued in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering and the ordinary shares underlying such private placement warrants and (iii) private placement warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans will have registration rights to require us to register a sale of any of our securities held by them prior to the consummation of our initial business combination pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, and assuming the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full and up to $1,500,000 of working capital loans are converted into private placement warrants, we will be obligated to register up to 16,437,500 ordinary shares and 9,250,000 warrants. The number of ordinary shares includes (i) 7,187,500 founder shares held by the initial shareholders, (ii) 7,750,000 ordinary shares underlying the private placement warrants and (iii) up to 1,500,000 ordinary shares underlying the private placement warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans. The number of warrants includes 7,750,000 private placement warrants and up to 1,500,000 private placement warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
In November 2024, our sponsor and sponsor affiliates paid $23,956.52 for an aggregate of 6,887,500 founder shares (up to 937,500 of which will be surrendered to us for no consideration after the closing of this offering depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and a consultant paid $1,043.48 for an aggregate of 300,000 founder shares (none of which are subject to forfeiture in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option), for a total of 7,187,500 founder shares issued for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share. The “sponsor affiliates” include Harry You, who acts as our Chairman of the board of directors and the managing member of the Sponsor, and Robert You, adult son of Harry You. Both Messrs. You directly own membership interests in our sponsor. Out of the total 6,887,500 founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates, the sponsor, Harry You and Robert You each directly holds 2,575,000, 2,300,000 and 2,012,500 founder shares, respectively, each purchased at approximately $0.003 per share. The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of this offering would be a maximum of 28,750,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. Up to 937,500 of the founder shares held by the sponsor and sponsor affiliates will be forfeited depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering, we will effect with our sponsor a share dividend or share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our founder shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering.
Our sponsor and the underwriters in this offering have committed to purchase an aggregate of 7,750,000 private placement warrants (including if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), each exercisable to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $7,750,000, in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering except that: (i) they may not (including the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holders until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) they (including the underlying shares) will be entitled to registration rights; (iii) they will not be redeemable by us; and (iv) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis. With respect to any private placement warrants held by CCM and/or their respective designees, such private placement warrants will be subject to the lock-up and registration rights limitations imposed by FINRA Rule 5110 and will not be exercisable more than five (5) years from the commencement of sales in this offering in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8). A portion of the purchase price of the private placement warrants will be added to the proceeds from this offering to be held in the trust account such that at the time of closing of this offering $250,000,000 (or $287,500,000 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) will be held in the trust account.
We currently utilize office space at 1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144 from our sponsor. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations. Subsequent to the closing of this offering, we will pay our sponsor and/or its affiliates or designees an aggregate of up to $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial, administrative and support services provided to us and members of our management team. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. Payment for such administrative services will be deferred and payable upon the closing of a business combination and will only be paid out of funds remaining outside of Trust Account.
We have agreed, pursuant to the administrative services and indemnification agreement with our sponsor relating to the monthly payment for office space and administrative services described above, that we will indemnify our sponsor from any claims arising out of or relating to this offering or the company’s operations or conduct of the company’s business or any claim against our sponsor alleging any expressed or implied management or endorsement by our sponsor of any of the company’s activities or any express or implied association between our sponsor and the company or any of its affiliates, which agreement will provide that the indemnified parties cannot access the funds held in our trust account.
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While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. We will engage a finder only to the extent our management determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our management determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of a finder’s fee is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. We may pay consulting, success, advisory or finder’s fees to our sponsor, our officers or directors, our advisors, or affiliates thereof in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Additionally, we may pay cash compensation to our independent directors for services rendered to us. Our sponsor, officers and directors, or any affiliate of theirs, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates.
Prior to the closing of this offering, our sponsor may loan us funds to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. These loans would be non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of June 30, 2025 or the closing of this offering and are anticipated to be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $1,220,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses other than underwriting commissions.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required on a non-interest basis. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercisability and exercise price. Except as set forth above, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
Any of the foregoing payments to our sponsor, including deferred $15,000 monthly payments, repayments of loans from our sponsor or repayments of working capital loans prior to our initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account and are anticipated to be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $1,220,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses other than underwriting commissions.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post- combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
We have entered into a registration rights agreement with respect to the founder shares and private placement warrants, which is described under the heading “Principal Shareholders — Registration Rights.”
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Policy for Approval of Related Party Transactions
The audit committee of our board of directors will adopt a policy setting forth the policies and procedures for its review and approval or ratification of “related party transactions.” A “related party transaction” is any consummated or proposed transaction or series of transactions: (i) in which the company was or is to be a participant; (ii) the amount of which exceeds (or is reasonably expected to exceed) the lesser of $120,000 or 1% of the average of the company’s total assets at year-end for the prior two completed fiscal years in the aggregate over the duration of the transaction (without regard to profit or loss); and (iii) in which a “related party” had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. “Related parties” under this policy will include: (i) our directors, nominees for director or officers; (ii) any record or beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities; (iii) any immediate family member of any of the foregoing if the foregoing person is a natural person; and (iv) any other person who maybe a “related person” pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act. Pursuant to the policy, the audit committee will consider (i) the relevant facts and circumstances of each related party transaction, including if the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in arm’s-length dealings with an unrelated third party, (ii) the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction, (iii) whether the transaction contravenes our Code of Ethics or other policies, (iv) whether the audit committee believes the relationship underlying the transaction to be in the best interests of the company and its shareholders and (v) the effect that the transaction may have on a director’s status as an independent member of the board and on his or her eligibility to serve on the board’s committees. Management will present to the audit committee each proposed related party transaction, including all relevant facts and circumstances relating thereto. Under the policy, we may consummate related party transactions only if our audit committee approves or ratifies the transaction in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the policy. The policy will not permit any director or executive officer to participate in the discussion of, or decision concerning, a related person transaction in which he or she is the related party.
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We are a Cayman Islands exempted company and our affairs are governed by our articles, the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. Pursuant to our articles which will be adopted prior to the consummation of this offering, we will be authorized to issue 550,000,000 ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value each, including 550,000,000 ordinary shares, as well as 5,000,000 preference shares, $0.0001 par value each. The following description summarizes certain terms of our capital stock as set out more particularly in our articles. Because it is only a summary, it may not contain all the information that is important to you.
Units
Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant, when exercisable, entitles the holder thereof to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination, subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of the company’s ordinary shares. This means only a whole warrant may be exercised at any given time by a warrant holder. For example, if a warrant holder holds one-half of one warrant to purchase an ordinary share, such warrant will not be exercisable. If a warrant holder holds two-halves of one warrant, such whole warrant will be exercisable for one ordinary share at the applicable exercise price. The ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units are expected to begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless CCM informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Once the ordinary shares and warrants commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into ordinary shares and warrants. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant.
Ordinary Shares
Prior to the date of this prospectus, there were 7,187,500 ordinary shares outstanding, all of which were held of record by our initial shareholders, so that our initial shareholders will own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering (assuming our initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering and not including the ordinary shares underlying the private placement warrants).
Up to 937,500 of the founder shares will be forfeited by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates, depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. Upon the closing of this offering, 31,250,000 of our ordinary shares will be outstanding (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of 937,500 founder shares by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates) including:
● | 25,000,000 public shares underlying units issued as part of this offering; |
● | 5,950,000 founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates; and |
● | 300,000 founder shares held by a consultant. |
If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect with our sponsor a share dividend or share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our founder shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering.
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Ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Unless specified in our articles, or as required by applicable provisions of the Companies Act or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of our ordinary shares that are represented in person or by proxy and are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by our shareholders. Approval of certain actions will require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or represented by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company, and pursuant to our articles; such actions include amending our articles and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. Our board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being appointed in each year. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the appointment of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voted for the appointment of directors can appoint all of the directors. Our shareholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor.
Because our articles authorize the issuance of up to 550,000,000 ordinary shares, if we were to enter into a business combination, we may (depending on the terms of such a business combination) be required to increase the number of ordinary shares which we are authorized to issue at the same time as our shareholders vote on the business combination to the extent we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual general meeting) serving a three-year term.
In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until no later than one year after our first full fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings or appoint directors. We may not hold an annual general meeting to appoint new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem, regardless of whether they abstain, vote for, or against, our initial business combination, all or a portion of their public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. Our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares they hold and public shares the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. Unlike many special purpose acquisition companies that hold shareholder votes and conduct proxy solicitations in conjunction with their initial business combinations and provide for related redemptions of public shares for cash upon completion of such initial business combinations even when a vote is not required by law, if a shareholder vote is not required by law and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our articles, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination. Our articles will require these tender offer documents to contain substantially the same financial and other information about our initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, a shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will, like many special purpose acquisition companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, passed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders of the issued shares represented in person or represented by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company. However, if our initial business combination is structured as a statutory merger or consolidation with another company under Cayman Islands law, a special resolution passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company will need to be passed by our shareholders approving a plan of merger. However, the participation of our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates in privately-negotiated transactions (as described in this prospectus), if any, could result in the approval of our initial business combination even if a majority of our public shareholders vote, or indicate their intention to vote, against such initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of an ordinary resolution, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. Our articles require that at least five days’ notice will be given of any general meeting.
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If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our articles will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to Excess Shares, without our prior consent. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our shareholders’ inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination, and such shareholders could suffer a material loss in their investment if they sell such Excess Shares on the open market. Additionally, such shareholders will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And, as a result, such shareholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose such shares would be required to sell their shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
If we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares they hold and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need 9,375,001 or 37.5% of the 25,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted, the over-allotment option is not exercised and the parties to the letter agreement do not acquire any public shares). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our articles, vote their shares at a general meeting of the company, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. However, if our initial business combination is structured as a statutory merger or consolidation with another company under Cayman Islands law, a special resolution, passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by the shareholders of the issued shares represented in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting of the company and are voted at a general meeting of the company will need to be passed by our shareholders approving a plan of merger. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or whether they do not vote or abstain from voting on the proposed transaction, or whether they were a public shareholder on the record date for the general meeting held to approve the proposed transaction.
Pursuant to our articles, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will, (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will constitute full and complete payment and completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distribution or other distributions, if any), subject to applicable law; and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our initial shareholders have entered into agreements with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account. However, if our initial shareholders or management team acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time period.
In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company after a business combination, our shareholders are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of shares, if any, having preference over the ordinary shares. Our shareholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the ordinary shares, except that we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash at a per share price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein.
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Founder Shares
The founder shares are, except as described below, identical to the public shares included in the units being sold in this offering, and holders of founder shares have the same shareholder rights as public shareholders, except that (i) the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below, (ii) the founder shares are entitled to registration rights; and (iii) our sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors, and the consultant who owns founder shares have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to (A) waive their redemption rights with respect to the founder shares they hold and the public shares held by the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (B) waive their redemption rights with respect to the founder shares they hold and the public shares held by the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our articles (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity, (C) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account and to liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within such time period and (D) vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased by the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors during or after this offering (including in open market and privately-negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination.
With certain limited exceptions, the founder shares are not transferable, assignable or salable (except to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor, each of whom will be subject to the same transfer restrictions) until the earlier to occur of (i) one year after the completion of our initial business combination or (ii) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction after our initial business combination that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property; except to certain permitted transferees and under certain circumstances as described herein under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants.” Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) the closing price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30 trading-day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination or (2) if we consummate a transaction after our initial business combination which results in our shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property, the founder shares will be released from the lock-up. Up to 937,500 founder shares will be forfeited by our initial shareholders depending on the exercise of the over-allotment option.
Register of Members
Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and there will be entered therein:
● | the names and addresses of the members, a statement of the shares held by each member, and of the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid, on the shares of each member and the voting rights of the shares of each member; |
● | whether voting rights are attached to the share in issue; |
● | the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and |
● | the date on which any person ceased to be a member. |
Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e. the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members will be deemed as a matter of Cayman Islands law to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members.
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Upon the closing of this public offering, the register of members will be immediately updated to reflect the issue of shares by us. Once our register of members has been updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members will be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their name. However, there are certain limited circumstances where an application may be made to a Cayman Islands court for a determination on whether the register of members reflects the correct legal position. Further, the Cayman Islands court has the power to order that the register of members maintained by a company should be rectified where it considers that the register of members does not reflect the correct legal position. If an application for an order for rectification of the register of members were made in respect of our ordinary shares, then the validity of such shares may be subject to re-examination by a Cayman Islands court.
If the name of any person is incorrectly entered in or omitted from our register of members, or if there is any default or unnecessary delay in entering on the register the fact of any person having ceased to be a member of our company, the person or member aggrieved (or any member of our company or our company itself) may apply to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands for an order that the register be rectified, and such court may either refuse such application or it may, if satisfied of the justice of the case, make an order for the rectification of the register.
Preference Shares
Our articles authorize 5,000,000 preference shares and provide that preference shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Before any preference shares of any series are issued, our board of directors shall fix, by resolution or resolutions, the following provisions of such series: (a) the designation of such series and the number of preference shares to constitute such series; (b) whether the shares of such series shall have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by the Companies Act, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights, which may be general or limited; (c) the dividends, if any, payable on such series, whether any such dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from what dates, the conditions and dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, the preference or relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any shares of any other class of shares or any other series of preference shares; (d) whether the preference shares or such series shall be subject to redemption by the Company, and, if so, the times, prices and other conditions of such redemption; (e) the amount or amounts payable upon preference shares of such series upon, and the rights of the holders of such series in, a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or upon any distribution of the assets, of the company; (f) whether the preference shares of such series shall be subject to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund and, if so, the extent to and manner in which any such retirement or sinking fund shall be applied to the purchase or redemption of the preference shares of such series for retirement or other corporate purposes and the terms and provisions relative to the operation of the retirement or sinking fund; (g) whether the preference shares of such series shall be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class of shares or any other series of preference shares or any other securities and, if so, the price or prices or the rate or rates of conversion or exchange and the method, if any, of adjusting the same, and any other terms and conditions of conversion or exchange; (h) the limitations and restrictions, if any, to be effective while any preference shares or such series are outstanding upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and upon the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Company of, the existing shares or shares of any other class of shares or any other series of preference shares; (i) the conditions or restrictions, if any, upon the creation of indebtedness of the company or upon the issue of any additional shares, including additional shares of such series or of any other class of shares or any other series of preference shares; and (j) any other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions of any other class of shares or any other series of preference shares. Accordingly, our board of directors will be able to, without shareholder approval, issue preference shares with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the ordinary shares and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of our board of directors to issue preference shares without shareholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management. We have no preference shares outstanding at the date hereof. Although we do not currently intend to issue preference shares, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future. No preference shares are being issued or registered in this offering.
Warrants
Public Shareholders’ Warrants
Each whole warrant, when exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial business combination, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time commencing 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, provided that we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or we permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis under the circumstances specified in the warrant agreement) and such shares are registered, qualified or exempt from registration under the securities, or blue sky, laws of the state of residence of the holder. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of ordinary shares. This means only a whole warrant may be exercised at a given time by a warrant holder. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. The warrants will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
We will not be obligated to deliver any ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the ordinary shares underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to our satisfying our obligations described below with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue an ordinary share upon exercise of a warrant unless the ordinary share issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants. In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to a warrant, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised warrants, the purchaser of a unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the unit solely for the ordinary share underlying such unit.
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We are registering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part because the warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, which may be within one year of this offering. However, because the warrants will be exercisable until their expiration date of up to five years after the completion of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act following the consummation of our initial business combination under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed, that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part or a new registration statement covering the registration, under the Securities Act, of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the above, if our ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement.
Redemption of public warrants for cash
Once the warrants become exercisable, we may call the public warrants for redemption for cash:
● | in whole and not in part; |
● | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
● | upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption (the “30-day measurement period”); and |
● | if, and only if, the closing price of the ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like and for certain issuances of ordinary shares and equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination as described elsewhere in this prospectus) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending three business days before we send to the notice of redemption to the public warrant holders. |
If and when the public warrants become redeemable by us for cash, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of the public warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify such ordinary shares under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which warrants were offered by us in this offering.
We have established the last of the redemption criterion discussed above to prevent a redemption call unless there is at the time of the call a significant premium to the warrant exercise price. If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption of the public warrants, each public warrant holder will be entitled to exercise his, her or its warrant prior to the scheduled redemption date. However, the price of the ordinary shares may fall below the $18.00 redemption trigger price (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like and for certain issuances of ordinary shares and equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination as described elsewhere in this prospectus) as well as the warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued.
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Redemption procedures and cashless exercise
If we call the warrants for redemption as described above under “— Redemption of public warrants for cash”, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise his, her or its warrant to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our shareholders of issuing the maximum number of ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, all holders of warrants would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” of our ordinary shares (defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” will mean the average closing price of the ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, the notice of redemption will contain the information necessary to calculate the number of ordinary shares to be received upon exercise of the warrants, including the “fair market value” in such case. Requiring a cashless exercise in this manner will reduce the number of shares to be issued and thereby lessen the dilutive effect of a warrant redemption. We believe this feature is an attractive option to us if we do not need the cash from the exercise of the warrants after our initial business combination.
Maximum Percentage. A holder of a warrant may notify us in writing in the event it elects to be subject to a requirement that such holder will not have the right to exercise such warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates), to the warrant agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 4.9% or 9.8% (or such other amount as specified by the holder) of the ordinary shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise.
Anti-dilution Adjustments. If the number of outstanding ordinary shares is increased by a share capitalization payable in ordinary shares, or by a split-up of ordinary shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such share capitalization, split-up or similar event, the number of ordinary shares issuable on exercise of each warrant will be increased in proportion to such increase in the outstanding ordinary shares. A rights offering to holders of ordinary shares entitling holders to purchase ordinary shares at a price less than the fair market value will be deemed a share capitalization of a number of ordinary shares equal to the product of (i) the number of ordinary shares actually sold in such rights offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such rights offering that are convertible into or exercisable for ordinary shares) and (ii) the quotient of (x) the price per ordinary share paid in such rights offering and (y) the fair market value. For these purposes (i) if the rights offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for ordinary shares, in determining the price payable for ordinary shares, there will be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) fair market value means the volume weighted average price of ordinary shares as reported during the ten (10) trading-day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on which the ordinary shares trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.
In addition, if we, at any time while the warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to the holders of ordinary shares on account of such ordinary shares (or other securities into which the warrants are convertible), other than (a) as described above, (b) certain ordinary cash dividends, (c) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of public shares in connection with a proposed initial business combination or (d) in connection with the redemption of our public shares upon our failure to complete our initial business combination, then the warrant exercise price will be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such event, by the amount of cash and/or the fair market value of any securities or other assets paid on each ordinary share in respect of such event.
If the number of outstanding ordinary shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse share split or reclassification of ordinary shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse share split, reclassification or similar event, the number of ordinary shares issuable on exercise of each warrant will be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding ordinary shares.
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Whenever the number of ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants is adjusted, as described above, the warrant exercise price will be adjusted by multiplying the warrant exercise price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which will be the number of ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which will be the number of ordinary shares so purchasable immediately thereafter.
In addition, if (x) we issue additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share (with Newly Issued Price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our initial shareholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our initial shareholders or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds (including from such issuances and this offering), and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of our consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our ordinary shares during the 20 trading-day period starting on the trading day after the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the Market Value) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described under “— Redemption of public warrants for cash” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding ordinary shares (other than those described above or that solely affects the par value of such ordinary shares), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of us with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which we are the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of our outstanding ordinary shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of us as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which we are dissolved, the holders of the warrants will thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the warrants and in lieu of the ordinary shares immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of ordinary shares or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the holder of the warrants would have received if such holder had exercised their warrants immediately prior to such event. If less than 70% of the consideration receivable by the holders of ordinary shares in such a transaction is payable in the form of ordinary shares in the successor entity that is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or is quoted in an established over- the-counter market, or is to be so listed for trading or quoted immediately following such event, and if the registered holder of the warrant properly exercises the warrant within thirty days following public disclosure of such transaction, the warrant exercise price will be reduced as specified in the warrant agreement based on the Black-Scholes Warrant Value (as defined in the warrant agreement) of the warrant. The purpose of such exercise price reduction is to provide additional value to holders of the warrants when an extraordinary transaction occurs during the exercise period of the warrants pursuant to which the holders of the warrants otherwise do not receive the full potential value of the warrants.
Registered Form. The warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder for the purpose of (i) curing any ambiguity or to correct any defective provision or mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in this prospectus, (ii) adjusting the provisions relating to cash dividends on ordinary shares as contemplated by and in accordance with the warrant agreement or (iii) adding or changing any provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the warrant agreement as the parties to the warrant agreement may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem to not adversely affect the rights of the registered holders of the warrants, provided that the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then-outstanding public warrants is required to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants, and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants, 50% of the then outstanding private placement warrants. You should review a copy of the warrant agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the warrants.
The warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price (or on a cashless basis, if applicable), by certified or official bank check payable to us, for the number of warrants being exercised. The warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of ordinary shares and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive ordinary shares. After the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by shareholders.
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Fractional Shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of ordinary shares to be issued to the warrant holder.
Exclusive Forum. We have agreed that, subject to applicable law, any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction will be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. See “Risk Factors — Our warrant agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.” This provision applies to claims under the Securities Act but does not apply to claims under the Exchange Act or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum.
Private Placement Warrants
Except as described below, the private placement warrants have terms and provisions that are identical to those of the warrants being sold as part of the units in this offering. The private placement warrants (including the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except, among other limited exceptions as described under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants,” to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with the initial purchasers of the private placement warrants) and they will be entitled to registration rights. The private placement warrants will not be redeemable by us and they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis. With respect to any private placement warrants held by CCM and/or their respective designees, such private placement warrants will be subject to the lock-up and registration rights limitations imposed by FINRA Rule 5110 and will not be exercisable more than five (5) years from the commencement of sales in this offering in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8).
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. Up to $1,500,000 of such working capital loans may be convertible into warrants of the post business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination even if we have substantial assets outside the trust account. The payment of cash dividends following the completion of our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time and will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. There is no certainty that we will be in a position to, or decide to, pay cash dividends after completing our initial business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends following the completion of our initial business combination may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
Our Transfer Agent and Warrant Agent
The transfer agent for our ordinary shares and warrant agent for our warrants is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in its roles as transfer agent and warrant agent, its agents and each of its shareholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity. Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company has agreed that it has no right of set-off or any right, title, interest or claim of any kind to, or to any monies in, the trust account, and has irrevocably waived any right, title, interest or claim of any kind to, or to any monies in, the trust account that it may have now or in the future. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied, or a claim will only be able to be pursued, solely against us and our assets outside the trust account and not against the any monies in the trust account or interest earned thereon.
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Certain Differences in Corporate Law
Cayman Islands companies are governed by the Companies Act. The Companies Act is modeled on English Law but does not follow recent English Law statutory enactments, and differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the material differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. In certain circumstances, the Companies Act allows for mergers or consolidations between two Cayman Islands companies, or between a Cayman Islands exempted company and a company incorporated in another jurisdiction (provided that is facilitated by the laws of that other jurisdiction).
Where the merger or consolidation is between two Cayman Islands companies, the directors of each company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation containing certain prescribed information. That plan or merger or consolidation must then be authorized by either (a) a special resolution (usually the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by the shareholders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting of the company and are voted at a general meeting of the company) of the shareholders of each company; or (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. No shareholder resolution is required for a merger between a parent company (i.e., a company that holds issued shares that together represent at least 90% of the votes at a general meeting of the subsidiary company) and its subsidiary company, provided that the parent company is the surviving entity and a copy of the plan of merger is given to every member of each subsidiary company to be merged unless that member otherwise agrees. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company must be obtained, unless the court waives such requirement. If the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies is satisfied that the requirements of the Companies Act (which includes certain other formalities) have been complied with, the Registrar of Companies will register the plan of merger or consolidation.
Where the merger or consolidation involves a foreign company, the procedure is similar, save that with respect to the foreign company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the merger or consolidation is permitted or not prohibited by the constitutional documents of the foreign company and by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the foreign company is incorporated, and that those laws and any requirements of those constitutional documents have been or will be complied with; (ii) that no petition or other similar proceeding has been filed and remains outstanding or order made or resolution adopted to wind up or liquidate the foreign company in any jurisdictions; (iii) that no receiver, trustee, administrator or other similar person has been appointed in any jurisdiction and is acting in respect of the foreign company, its affairs or its property or any part thereof; (iv) that no scheme, order, compromise or other similar arrangement has been entered into or made in any jurisdiction whereby the rights of creditors of the foreign company are and continue to be suspended or restricted; and (v) there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.
Where the surviving company is the Cayman Islands exempted company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are further required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the foreign company is able to pay its debts as they fall due and that the merger or consolidation is bona fide and not intended to defraud unsecured creditors of the foreign company; (ii) that in respect of the transfer of any security interest granted by the foreign company to the surviving or consolidated company (a) consent or approval to the transfer has been obtained, released or waived; (b) the transfer is permitted by and has been approved in accordance with the constitutional documents of the foreign company; and (c) the laws of the jurisdiction of the foreign company with respect to the transfer have been or will be complied with; (iii) that the foreign company will, upon the merger or consolidation becoming effective, cease to be incorporated, registered or exist under the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction; and (iv) that there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.
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The Companies Act provides for a right of dissenting shareholders to be paid the fair value of their shares upon their dissenting to the merger or consolidation in certain circumstances if they follow a prescribed procedure. In essence, where such rights apply, that procedure is as follows: (i) the shareholder must give his written objection to the merger or consolidation to the constituent company before the vote on the merger or consolidation, including a statement that the shareholder proposes to demand payment for their shares if the merger or consolidation is authorized by the vote; (ii) within 20 days following the date on which the merger or consolidation is authorized by the shareholders, the constituent company must give written notice to each shareholder who made a written objection; (iii) a shareholder must within 20 days following receipt of such notice from the constituent company, give the constituent company a written notice of his intention to dissent including, among other details, a demand for payment of the fair value of their shares; (iv) within seven days following the date of the expiration of the period set out in paragraph (ii) above or seven days following the date on which the plan of merger or consolidation is filed, whichever is later, the constituent company, the surviving company or the consolidated company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase their shares at a price that the company determines is the fair value and if the company and the shareholder agree the price within 30 days following the date on which the offer was made, the company must pay the shareholder such amount; and (v) if the company and the shareholder fail to agree on a price within such 30 day period, within 20 days following the date on which such 30 day period expires, the company must (and any dissenting shareholder may) file a petition with the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands to determine the fair value of all dissenting shares and such petition must be accompanied by a list of the names and addresses of the dissenting shareholders with whom agreements as to the fair value of their shares have not been reached by the company. At the hearing of that petition, the court has the power to determine the fair value of the shares together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the company upon the amount determined to be the fair value. Any dissenting shareholder whose name appears on the list filed by the company may participate fully in all proceedings until the determination of fair value is reached. A shareholder who dissents must do so in respect of all shares that that person holds in the constituent company. Upon the giving of a notice of dissent under paragraph (iii) above, the shareholder to whom the notice relates shall cease to have any of the rights of a shareholder except the right to be paid the fair value of that person’s shares and certain rights specified in the Companies Act. These rights of a dissenting shareholder are not available in certain circumstances, for example, to dissenting shareholders holding shares of any class in respect of which an open market exists on a recognized stock exchange or recognized interdealer quotation system at the relevant date, where the consideration for such shares to be contributed are shares of any company listed on a national securities exchange or shares of the surviving or consolidated company.
Moreover, Cayman Islands law has separate statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction or amalgamation of companies in certain circumstances, commonly referred to in the Cayman Islands as a “scheme of arrangement,” which may be tantamount to a merger. Schemes of arrangement will generally be more suited for complex mergers or other transactions involving widely held companies. In the event that a merger was sought pursuant to a scheme of arrangement (the procedures for which are more rigorous and take longer to complete than the procedures typically required to consummate a merger in the United States), the arrangement in question must be approved by (i) in relation to a compromise or arrangement between a company and its creditors or any class of them, a majority in number of such creditors or class of creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of such creditors or class of creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting summoned for that purpose; and (ii) in relation to a compromise or arrangement between a company and its shareholders or any class of them, shareholders who represent 75% in value of the company’s shareholders or class of shareholders, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting summoned for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the terms of the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder would have the right to express to the court the view that the transaction should not be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it satisfies itself that:
● | we are not proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of our corporate authority and the statutory provisions as to majority vote have been complied with; |
● | the shareholders have been fairly represented at the general meeting in question; |
● | the arrangement is such as a businessman would reasonably approve; and |
● | the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act or that would amount to a “fraud on the minority.” |
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If a scheme of arrangement or takeover offer (as described below) is approved, any dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to dissenters’ rights or appraisal rights (providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares), which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of United States corporations.
Squeeze-out Provisions. When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% in value of the shares to whom the offer relates within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period after the expiration of the initial four-month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith, collusion or inequitable treatment of the shareholders.
Further, transactions similar to a merger, reconstruction and/or an amalgamation may in some circumstances be achieved through means other than these statutory provisions, such as a share capital exchange, asset acquisition or control, or through contractual arrangements, of an operating business.
Shareholders’ Suits. Ogier (Cayman) LLP, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, is not aware of any reported class action having been brought in a Cayman Islands court. Derivative actions have been brought in the Cayman Islands courts, and the Cayman Islands courts have confirmed the availability for such actions. In most cases, we will be the proper plaintiff in any claim based on a breach of duty owed to us, and a claim against (for example) our officers or directors usually may not be brought by a shareholder. However, based both on Cayman Islands authorities and on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority and be applied by a court in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:
● | a company is acting, or proposing to act, illegally or beyond the scope of its authority; |
● | the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; or |
● | those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.” |
A shareholder may have a direct right of action against us where the individual rights of that shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed.
Enforcement of Civil Liabilities. The Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides less protection to investors. Additionally, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the Federal courts of the United States.
We have been advised by Ogier (Cayman) LLP, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
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Special Considerations for Exempted Companies. We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:
● | an exempted company does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies; |
● | an exempted company’s register of members is not open to inspection; |
● | an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting; |
● | an exempted company may issue shares with no par value; |
● | an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 30 years in the first instance); |
● | an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; |
● | an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and |
● | an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company. |
“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on the shares of the company (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).
Articles
The Business Combination Article of our articles contains provisions designed to provide certain rights and protections relating to this offering that will apply to us until the completion of our initial business combination. These provisions cannot be amended without a special resolution. As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a resolution is deemed to be a special resolution where it has been approved by either (i) at least two-thirds (or any higher threshold specified in a company’s articles of association) of a company’s shareholders at a general meeting for which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been given; or (ii) if so authorized by a company’s articles of association, by a unanimous written resolution of all of the company’s shareholders. Our articles will provide that special resolutions must be approved either by at least two-thirds of our shareholders (i.e., the lowest threshold permissible under Cayman Islands law), or by a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that special resolutions must be approved either by at least two-thirds of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at the applicable general meeting of the company (i.e., the lowest threshold permissible under Cayman Islands law), or by a unanimous written resolution of all of the company’s shareholders who are entitled to vote on such matter (or such lower threshold as may be allowed under the Companies Law from time to time).
Our initial shareholders, who will collectively beneficially own 20% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering and not including the ordinary shares underlying the private placement warrants), may participate in any vote to amend our articles and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. Specifically, our articles will provide, among other things, that:
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● | If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the completion window, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay liquidation expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will constitute full and complete payment and completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions or other distributions, if any), subject to applicable law; and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law; |
● | Prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote as a class with public shares on any initial business combination; |
● | Although we do not intend to enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or our officers, we are not prohibited from doing so. In the event we enter into such a transaction, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or from another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that the consideration we are paying is fair to our company and its shareholders from a financial point of view; |
● | If a shareholder vote on our initial business combination is not required by law and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will offer to redeem our public shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, and will file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about our initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act; |
● | If our shareholders approve an amendment to our articles not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an initial business combination (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window, or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to the rights of holders of our ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem, regardless of whether they abstain, vote for, or against, our initial business combination, all or a portion of their public shares upon such approval at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein; |
● | We will not effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations; and |
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● | Our articles will provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the courts of the Cayman Islands shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim or dispute arising out of or in connection with our articles or otherwise related in any way to each shareholder’s shareholding in us, including but not limited to (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of any fiduciary or other duty owed by any of our current or former director, officer or other employee to us or our shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Companies Act or our articles, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine (as such concept is recognized under the laws of the United States of America) and that each shareholder irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Cayman Islands over all such claims or disputes. Our articles will also provide that, without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that we may have, each of our shareholders acknowledges that damages alone would not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum and that accordingly we shall be entitled, without proof of special damages, to the remedies of injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum. The forum selection provision in our articles will not apply to actions or suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act, Exchange Act or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are, as a matter of the laws of the United States of America, the sole and exclusive forum for determination of such a claim. This choice of forum provision may limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits. The enforceability of similar exclusive forum provisions (including exclusive federal forum provisions for actions, suits or proceedings asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act) in other companies’ organizational documents has been challenged in legal proceedings, and there is uncertainty as to whether courts would enforce the exclusive forum provisions in our articles. Additionally, our shareholders cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. |
Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Terrorist Financing, Prevention of Proliferation Financing and Financial Sanctions Compliance-Cayman Islands
If any person residing in the Cayman Islands knows or suspects or has reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting that another person is engaged in criminal conduct or money laundering or is involved with terrorism or terrorist property or proliferation financing or is the business combination partner of a financial sanction and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of business in the regulated sector, or other trade, profession, business or employment, the person will be required to report such knowledge or suspicion to (i) the Financial Reporting Authority of the Cayman Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands if the disclosure relates to criminal conduct or money laundering or proliferation financing or is the business combination partner of a financial sanction, or (ii) a police officer of the rank of constable or higher, or the Financial Reporting Authority, pursuant to the Terrorism Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, if the disclosure relates to involvement with terrorism or terrorist financing and property. Such a report shall not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise.
In order to comply with legislation or regulations aimed at the prevention of money laundering, the company may be required to adopt and maintain anti-money laundering procedures, and may require subscribers to provide evidence to verify their identity. Where permitted, and subject to certain conditions, the company may also delegate the maintenance of our anti-money laundering procedures (including the acquisition of due diligence information) to a suitable person.
The company reserves the right to request such information as is necessary to verify the identity of a subscriber. In the event of delay or failure on the part of the subscriber in producing any information required for verification purposes, we may refuse to accept the application, in which case any funds received will be returned without interest to the account from which they were originally debited.
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The company also reserves the right to refuse to make any redemption payment to a shareholder if directors or officers suspect or are advised that the payment of redemption proceeds to such shareholder might result in a breach of applicable anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, prevention of proliferation financing and financial sanctions or other laws or regulations by any person in any relevant jurisdiction, or if such refusal is considered necessary or appropriate to ensure our compliance with any such laws or regulations in any applicable jurisdiction.
Should a shareholder or its duly authorized delegates or agents be, or become (or is believed by the company or its affiliates (“Agents”) to be or become) at any time while it owns or holds an interest in the company, (a) an individual or entity named on any sanctions list maintained by the United Kingdom (including as extended to the Cayman Islands by Orders in Council) or the Cayman Islands or any similar list maintained under applicable law or is otherwise subject to applicable sanctions in the Cayman Islands (a “Sanctions Subject”) or (b) an entity owned or controlled directly or indirectly by a Sanctions Subject, as determined by the company in its sole discretion, then (i) the company or its Agents may immediately and without notice to the shareholder cease any further dealings with the shareholder or freeze any dealings with the interests or accounts of the shareholder (e.g., by prohibiting payments by or to the shareholder or restricting or suspending dealings with the interests or accounts) or freeze the assets of the company (including interests or accounts of other shareholders who are not Sanctions Subjects), until the relevant person ceases to be a Sanctions Subject or a license is obtained under applicable law to continue such dealings (a “Sanctioned Persons Event”), (ii) the company and its Agents may be required to report such action or failure to comply with information requests and to disclose the shareholder’s identity (and/or the identity of the shareholder’s beneficial owners and control persons) to the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, the Cayman Islands Financial Reporting Authority, or other applicable governmental or regulatory authorities (without notifying the Subscriber that such information has been so provided) and (iii) the company and its Agents have no liability whatsoever for any liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and/or losses (including but not limited to any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of revenue, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal costs and all other professional costs and expenses) incurred by the shareholder as a result of a Sanctioned Persons Event.
Cayman Islands Data Protection
We have certain duties under the Data Protection Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands (the “DPA”) based on internationally accepted principles of data privacy.
Privacy Notice
This privacy notice explains the manner in which we collect, process, and maintain personal data about investors of the company pursuant to the Data Protection Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands, as amended from time to time and any regulations, codes of practice, or orders promulgated pursuant thereto (the “DPA”).
We are committed to processing personal data in accordance with the DPA. In our use of personal data, we will be characterized under the DPA as a “data controller,” whilst certain of our service providers, affiliates, and delegates may act as “data processors” under the DPA. These service providers may process personal data for their own lawful purposes in connection with services provided to us. For the purposes of this Privacy Notice, “you” or “your” shall mean the subscriber and shall also include any individual connected to the subscriber.
By virtue of your investment in the company, we and certain of our service providers may collect, record, store, transfer, and otherwise process personal data by which individuals may be directly or indirectly identified. We may combine personal data that you provide to use with personal data that we collect from, or about you. This may include personal data collected in an online or offline context including from credit reference agencies and other available public databases or data sources, such as news outlines, websites and other media sources and international sanctions lists.
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Your personal data will be processed fairly and for lawful purposes, including (a) where the processing is necessary for us to perform a contract to which you are a party or for taking pre-contractual steps at your request, (b) where the processing is necessary for compliance with any legal, tax, or regulatory obligation to which we are subject, (c) where the processing is for the purposes of legitimate interests pursued by us or by a service provider to whom the data are disclosed, or (d) where you otherwise consent to the processing of personal data for any other specific purpose. As a data controller, we will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it. If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will contact you.
We anticipate that we will share your personal data with our service providers for the purposes set out in this privacy notice. We may also share relevant personal data where it is lawful to do so and necessary to comply with our contractual obligations or your instructions or where it is necessary or desirable to do so in connection with any regulatory reporting obligations. In exceptional circumstances, we will share your personal data with regulatory, prosecuting, and other governmental agencies or departments, and parties to litigation (whether pending or threatened), in any country or territory including to any other person where we have a public or legal duty to do so (e.g. to assist with detecting and preventing fraud, tax evasion, and financial crime or compliance with a court order).
Your personal data shall not be held by the company for longer than necessary with regard to the purposes of the data processing.
We will not sell your personal data. Any transfer of personal data outside of the Cayman Islands shall be in accordance with the requirements of the DPA. Where necessary, we will ensure that separate and appropriate legal agreements are put in place with the recipient of that data.
We will only transfer personal data in accordance with the requirements of the DPA, and will apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of the personal data and against the accidental loss, destruction, or damage to the personal data.
If you are a natural person, this will affect you directly. If you are a corporate investor (including, for these purposes, legal arrangements such as trusts or exempted limited partnerships) that provides us with personal data on individuals connected to you for any reason in relation to your investment into the company, this will be relevant for those individuals and you should transmit this document to those individuals for their awareness and consideration.
You have certain rights under the DPA, including (a) the right to be informed as to how we collect and use your personal data (and this privacy notice fulfils our obligation in this respect), (b) the right to obtain a copy of your personal data, (c) the right to require us to stop direct marketing, (d) the right to have inaccurate or incomplete personal data corrected, (e) the right to withdraw your consent and require us to stop processing or restrict the processing, or not begin the processing of your personal data, (f) the right to be notified of a data breach (unless the breach is unlikely to be prejudicial), (g) the right to obtain information as to any countries or territories outside the Cayman Islands to which we, whether directly or indirectly, transfer, intend to transfer, or wish to transfer your personal data, general measures we take to ensure the security of personal data, and any information available to us as to the source of your personal data, (h) the right to complain to the Office of the Ombudsman of the Cayman Islands, and (i) the right to require us to delete your personal data in some limited circumstances.
If you do not wish to provide us with requested personal data or subsequently withdraw your consent, you may not be able to invest in the company or remain invested in the company as it will affect the company’s ability to manage your investment.
If you consider that your personal data has not been handled correctly, or you are not satisfied with our responses to any requests you have made regarding the use of your personal data, you have the right to complain to the Cayman Islands’ Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can be contacted by email at info@ombudsman.ky or by accessing their website here: ombudsman.ky.
Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of our Articles
Our articles will contain provisions that may delay, defer or discourage another party from acquiring control of us. We expect that these provisions, which are summarized below, will discourage coercive takeover practices or inadequate takeover bids.
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Our articles will provide that our board of directors will be classified into three classes of directors. As a result, in most circumstances, a person can gain control of our board only by successfully engaging in a proxy contest at two or more annual meetings. Our authorized but unissued ordinary shares and preference shares are available for future issuances without shareholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved ordinary shares and preference shares could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Securities Eligible for Future Sale
Immediately after this offering we will have 25,000,000 (or 28,750,000 if the underwriters’ over- allotment option is exercised in full) ordinary shares outstanding. Of these shares, the ordinary shares sold in this offering (25,000,000 ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised and 28,750,000 shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any public shares purchased by one of our affiliates within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. All of the outstanding founder shares (6,250,000 founder shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised and 7,187,500 founder shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) and all of the outstanding private placement warrants (7,750,000 private placement warrants) will be restricted securities under Rule 144, in that they were issued in private transactions not involving a public offering, and the founder shares and private placement warrants, are subject to transfer restrictions as set forth elsewhere in this prospectus. These restricted securities will be entitled to registration rights as more fully described below under “— Registration Rights.”
Rule 144
Pursuant to Rule 144, a person who has beneficially owned restricted shares or warrants for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.
Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares or warrants for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of:
● | 1% of the total number of ordinary shares then outstanding, which will equal 250,000 shares immediately after this offering (287,500 if the underwriters exercise in full their over-allotment option); or |
● | the average weekly reported trading volume of the ordinary shares during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale. |
Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies
Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by shell companies (other than business combination related shell companies) or issuers that have been at any time previously a shell company. However, Rule 144 also includes an important exception to this prohibition if the following conditions are met:
● | the issuer of the securities that was formerly a shell company has ceased to be a shell company; |
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● | the issuer of the securities is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; |
● | the issuer of the securities has filed all Exchange Act reports and material required to be filed, as applicable, during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the issuer was required to file such reports and materials), other than Current Reports on Form 8-K; and |
● | at least one year has elapsed from the time that the issuer filed current Form 10 type information with the SEC reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company. |
● | As a result, our initial shareholders will be able to sell their founder shares and private placement warrants, as applicable, pursuant to Rule 144 without registration one year after we have completed our initial business combination. |
Registration Rights
The holders of the (i) founder shares, which were issued in a private placement prior to the closing of this offering, (ii) private placement warrants, which will be issued in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering and the ordinary shares underlying such private placement warrants and (iii) private placement warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans will have registration rights to require us to register a sale of any of our securities held by them prior to the consummation of our initial business combination pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, and assuming the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full and up to $1,500,000 of working capital loans are converted into private placement warrants, we will be obligated to register up to 16,437,500 ordinary shares and 9,250,000 warrants. The number of ordinary shares includes (i) 7,187,500 founder shares, (ii) 7,750,000 ordinary shares underlying the private placement warrants and (iii) up to 1,500,000 ordinary shares underlying the private placement warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans. The number of warrants includes 7,750,000 private placement warrants and up to 1,500,000 private placement warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Listing of Securities
We intend to apply to have our units listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “TACOU” commencing on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the public shares and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “TACO” and “TACOW”, respectively.
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The following summary of certain Cayman Islands and United States federal income tax consequences of an investment in our units, each consisting of one ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant, which we refer to collectively as our securities, is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change. This summary does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in our ordinary shares and warrants, such as the tax consequences under state, local and other tax laws.
Prospective investors should consult their advisors on the possible tax consequences of investing in our securities under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence or domicile.
Cayman Islands Tax Considerations
The following is a discussion on certain Cayman Islands income tax consequences of an investment in the securities of the company. The discussion is a general summary of present law, which is subject to prospective and retroactive change. It is not intended as tax advice, does not consider any investor’s particular circumstances, and does not consider tax consequences other than those arising under Cayman Islands law.
Under Existing Cayman Islands Laws
The Cayman Islands currently levies no taxes on individuals or corporations based upon profits, income, gains, or appreciation and there is no taxation in the nature of inheritance tax or estate duty. There are no other taxes likely to be material to us levied by the Government of the Cayman Islands except for stamp duties which may be applicable on instruments executed in, or, after execution, brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands. No stamp duty is payable in the Cayman Islands on the issue of shares by, or any transfers of shares of, Cayman Islands companies (except those which hold interests in land in the Cayman Islands). There are no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions in the Cayman Islands.
Payments of dividends and capital in respect of our shares will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands and no withholding will be required on the payment of a dividend or capital to any holder of our shares, as the case may be, nor will gains derived from the disposal of our shares be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporation tax.
The Tax Concessions Act (As Revised)
Undertaking as to Tax Concessions
In accordance with the Tax Concessions Act (As Revised), the following undertaking is hereby given to Berto Acquisition Corp. (the “company”):
1. | That no law which is hereafter enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to the company or its operations; and |
2. | In addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable: |
2.1 | On or in respect of the shares, debentures or other obligations of the company; or |
2.2 | by way of the withholding in whole or part, of any relevant payment as defined in the Tax Concessions Act (As Revised). |
These concessions shall be for a period of thirty years from the date hereof.
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United States Federal Income Tax Considerations
General
The following discussion summarizes certain United States federal income tax considerations generally applicable to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our units (each consisting of one ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant) that are purchased in this offering by U.S. Holders (as defined below) and Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below). Because the components of a unit are generally separable at the option of the holder, the holder of a unit generally should be treated, for United States federal income tax purposes, as the owner of the underlying ordinary share and warrant components of the unit. As a result, the discussion below with respect to actual holders of ordinary shares and warrants also should apply to holders of units (as the deemed owners of the underlying ordinary shares and warrants that constitute the units).
This discussion does not address the United States federal income tax consequences to our founders, sponsors (and sponsor affiliates), consultants (such as Meteora Capital, LLC and its affiliates), officers or directors, or to holders of private placement warrants. This discussion is limited to certain United States federal income tax considerations to beneficial owners of our securities who are initial purchasers of a unit pursuant to this offering and hold the unit and each component of the unit as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). This discussion assumes that the ordinary shares and warrants will trade separately and that any distributions made (or deemed made) by us on our ordinary shares and any consideration received (or deemed received) by a holder in consideration for the sale or other disposition of our securities will be in U.S. dollars.
This discussion is a summary only and does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of a unit by a prospective investor or holder in light of its particular circumstances, including but not limited to, the alternative minimum tax, the Medicare tax on net investment income and the different consequences that may apply to prospective investors or holders that are subject to special rules under U.S. federal income tax laws, including but not limited to:
● | banks, financial institutions or financial services entities; |
● | broker-dealers; |
● | taxpayers that are subject to the mark-to-market tax accounting rules; |
● | tax-exempt entities; |
● | governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof; |
● | insurance companies; |
● | regulated investment companies; |
● | real estate investment trusts; |
● | expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States; |
● | except as specifically provided below, persons that actually or constructively own five percent or more (by vote or value) of our shares; |
● | persons that acquired our securities pursuant to an exercise of employee share options, in connection with employee share incentive plans or otherwise as compensation; |
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● | persons that hold our securities as part of a straddle, constructive sale, hedge, wash sale, conversion or other integrated or similar transaction; |
● | U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
● | controlled foreign corporations; |
● | passive foreign investment companies; and |
● | partnerships (or entities or arrangements classified as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and any beneficial owners of such partnerships. |
If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement classified as a partnership or other pass-through entity for United States federal income tax purposes) is the beneficial owner of our securities, the United States federal income tax treatment of a partner, member or other beneficial owner in such partnership or other pass-through entity generally will depend on the status of the partner, member or other beneficial owner and the activities of the partnership or other pass-through entity. If you are a partner, member or other beneficial owner of a partnership or other pass-through entity holding our securities, you are urged to consult your own tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our securities.
Moreover, the discussion below is based upon the provisions of the Code, the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, all as of the date hereof, and such provisions may be repealed, revoked, modified or subject to differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis, which may result in United States federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. Furthermore, this discussion does not address any aspect of United States federal non-income tax laws, such as gift or estate tax laws, or state, local or non-United States tax laws.
We have not sought, and do not expect to seek, a ruling from the IRS as to any United States federal income tax consequence described herein. The IRS may disagree with the discussion herein, and its determination may be upheld by a court. Moreover, there can be no assurance that future legislation, regulations, administrative rulings or court decisions will not adversely affect the accuracy of the statements in this discussion.
THIS DISCUSSION IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IN OUR SECURITIES IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH INVESTOR OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY UNITED STATES FEDERAL NON-INCOME, STATE AND LOCAL TAX LAWS AND NON-UNITED STATES TAX LAWS.
Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit
No statutory, administrative or judicial authority directly addresses the treatment of a unit or any instrument similar to a unit for United States federal income tax purposes, and therefore, that treatment is not entirely clear. The acquisition of a unit should be treated for United States federal income tax purposes as the acquisition of one ordinary share and one-half of one warrant, and the company intends to treat the acquisition of a unit in such manner. By purchasing a unit, you agree to adopt such treatment for United States federal income tax purposes. For United States federal income tax purposes, each holder of a unit must allocate the purchase price paid by such holder for such unit between the one ordinary share and the one-half of one warrant based on the relative fair market value of each at the time of issuance. Under U.S. federal income tax law, each holder must make his or her own determination of such value based on all the relevant facts and circumstances. Therefore, we strongly urge prospective investors and holders to consult their own tax advisor regarding the determination of value for these purposes. For United States federal income tax purposes,
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a holder’s initial tax basis in each ordinary share generally should be the portion of the purchase price of the applicable unit allocated to such ordinary share, and a holder’s initial tax basis in each one-half of one warrant generally should be the portion of the purchase price of the applicable unit allocated to such one-half of one warrant. Any disposition by a holder of a unit should be treated for United States federal income tax purposes as a disposition of the ordinary share and the one-half of one warrant comprising the unit, and the amount realized on the disposition should be allocated between the ordinary share and the one-half of one warrant based on their respective fair market values at the time of disposition (as determined by such holder based on all the relevant facts and circumstances). The separation of the ordinary share and the one-half of one warrant constituting a unit and the combination of two-halves of a warrant into a single warrant generally should not be a taxable event for United States federal income tax purposes.
The foregoing treatment of the units, ordinary shares and warrants and a holder’s purchase price allocation is not binding on the IRS or the courts. Because there are no authorities that directly address instruments that are similar to the units, no assurance can be given that the IRS or the courts will agree with the characterization described above or the discussion below. Accordingly, each prospective investor is urged to consult its tax own advisor regarding the tax consequences of an investment in a unit (including alternative characterizations of a unit). The balance of this discussion assumes that the characterization of the units described above will be respected for United States federal income tax purposes.
U.S. Holders
This section applies to you if you are a “U.S. Holder.” A U.S. Holder is a beneficial owner of our units, ordinary shares or warrants that is, for United States federal income tax purposes:
● | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
● | a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
● | an estate whose income is subject to United States federal income tax regardless of its source; or |
● | a trust, if (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more “United States persons” (as defined in the Code) have authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) it has a valid election in effect under Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person. |
Taxation of Distributions
Subject to the passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will be required to include in gross income as a dividend in the year actually or constructively received by the U.S. Holder the amount of any distribution of cash or other property (other than certain distributions of our shares or rights to acquire our shares) paid on our ordinary shares to the extent the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under United States federal income tax principles). Distributions in excess of such earnings and profits generally will be treated as (i) a nontaxable return of capital, applied to reduce a U.S. Holder’s basis in its ordinary shares (but not below zero) and (ii) to the extent of any remaining excess, gain from the sale or exchange of such ordinary shares (the treatment of which is described under “— Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Ordinary Shares and Warrants” below).
Dividends paid by us will be taxable to a corporate U.S. Holder at regular rates and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to domestic corporations in respect of dividends received from other domestic corporations. With respect to non-corporate U.S. Holders, dividends paid by us generally will be taxed at the lower applicable long-term capital gains rate (see “— Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Ordinary Shares and Warrants” below) only if our ordinary shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, we are not a PFIC at the time the dividend was paid or in the previous year, and certain other requirements are met. It is unclear, however, whether certain redemption rights described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period of the ordinary shares for this purpose. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability of such lower rate for any dividends paid with respect to our ordinary shares.
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Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Ordinary Shares and Warrants
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss on the sale or other taxable disposition of our ordinary shares or warrants (including a redemption of our ordinary shares (as described below) or warrants that is treated as a taxable disposition, including pursuant to our dissolution and liquidation if we do not consummate an initial business combination within the required time period). Any such capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for such ordinary shares or warrants exceeds one year.
Long-term capital gain realized by a non-corporate U.S. Holder may be eligible for reduced rates of taxation. It is unclear, however, whether certain redemption rights described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period of the ordinary shares for this purpose. If the running of the holding period for the ordinary shares is suspended, then non-corporate U.S. Holders may not be able to satisfy the one-year holding period requirement for long-term capital gain treatment, in which case any gain on a sale or other taxable disposition of the ordinary shares would be subject to short-term capital gain treatment and would be taxed at regular ordinary income tax rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.
The amount of gain or loss recognized by a U.S. Holder on a sale or other taxable disposition of ordinary shares or warrants generally will be equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received in such disposition (or, if the ordinary shares or warrants are held as part of units at the time of the disposition, the portion of the amount realized on such disposition that is allocated to the ordinary shares or warrants based upon the relative fair market values of the ordinary shares and warrants constituting the units at the time of the disposition) and (ii) the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its ordinary shares or warrants so disposed of. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its ordinary shares or warrants generally will equal the U.S. Holder’s acquisition cost (that is, the portion of the purchase price of a unit allocated to an ordinary share or one-half of one warrant, as described above under “— Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) reduced, in the case of an ordinary share, by the amount of any prior distributions with respect to such ordinary share that are treated as a return of capital. See “— Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant” below for a discussion regarding a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the ordinary share acquired pursuant to the exercise of a warrant.
Redemption of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, in the event that a U.S. Holder’s ordinary shares are redeemed pursuant to the redemption provisions described in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Ordinary Shares” or if we purchase a U.S. Holder’s ordinary shares in an open market transaction (for the remainder of this discussion, references to a “redemption” shall include such an open market purchase of public shares by us), the treatment of the transaction for United States federal income tax purposes will depend on whether the redemption qualifies as a sale of the ordinary shares under Section 302 of the Code. If the redemption qualifies as a sale of ordinary shares, then the U.S. Holder will be treated for United States federal income tax purposes as described under “— Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Ordinary Shares and Warrants” above. If the redemption does not qualify as a sale of ordinary shares, then the U.S. Holder will be treated as receiving a corporate distribution having the United States federal income tax consequences described above under “— Taxation of Distributions.” Whether a redemption qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of our shares treated as held by the U.S. Holder (including any shares constructively owned by the U.S. Holder described in the following paragraph, including as a result of owning warrants) relative to all of our shares outstanding both before and after such redemption. A redemption of ordinary shares generally will be treated as a sale of the ordinary shares (rather than as a corporate distribution) if such redemption (i) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. Holder, (ii) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. Holder’s interest in us or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. Holder. These tests are explained more fully below.
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In determining whether any of the foregoing tests are satisfied, a U.S. Holder must take into account not only any of our shares that are actually owned by the U.S. Holder, but also any of our shares that are treated for United States federal income tax purposes as constructively owned by such holder. In addition to owning our shares directly, a U.S. Holder may be treated for United States federal income tax purposes as constructively owning our shares that are owned by certain individuals related to such U.S. Holder and certain entities in which the U.S. Holder has an interest or that have an interest in such U.S. Holder, as well as any of our shares which the U.S. Holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option, which generally would include ordinary shares which could be acquired by such U.S. Holder pursuant to the exercise of warrants. A redemption of ordinary shares generally will be “substantially disproportionate” with respect to a U.S. Holder if the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder immediately following the redemption of ordinary shares constitutes, among other requirements, less than 80% of the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder immediately before the redemption. A redemption of ordinary shares generally will result in a “complete termination” of a U.S. Holder’s interest if either (i) all of our shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder are redeemed or (ii) all of our shares actually owned by the U.S. Holder are redeemed and the U.S. Holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of shares owned by certain family members, and the U.S. Holder is not otherwise treated as constructively owning any of our shares (including as a result of owning our warrants). A redemption of ordinary shares generally will be “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” if such redemption results in a “meaningful reduction” of the U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us. Whether a redemption results in a “meaningful reduction” in a U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. The IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority shareholder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute a “meaningful reduction.” A U.S. Holder should consult with its own tax advisor as to the tax consequences of a redemption of its ordinary shares.
If none of the foregoing tests are satisfied, then the redemption of any ordinary shares will be treated as a corporate distribution and the tax consequences will be as described under “— Taxation of Distributions” above. Any tax basis of the U.S. Holder in the redeemed ordinary shares remaining after the application of the rules described under “— Taxation of Distributions” above will be added to the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its remaining shares, or, if such U.S. Holder does not hold any of our shares after such redemption, to the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its warrants or possibly in other shares constructively owned by it. U.S. Holders who actually or constructively own five percent (or, if our ordinary shares are not then publicly traded, one percent) or more of our shares (by vote or value) may be subject to special reporting requirements with respect to a redemption of ordinary shares, and such holders are urged to consult with their own tax advisors with respect to their reporting requirements.
Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant
A U.S. Holder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the acquisition of a ordinary share on the exercise of a warrant for cash. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in an ordinary share received upon exercise of a warrant for cash generally will equal the sum of the U.S. Holder’s initial tax basis in the warrant (that is, the portion of the U.S. Holder’s purchase price paid for its units that is allocated to the warrant, as described above under “— Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) and the exercise price. It is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary share received upon the exercise of a warrant will commence on the date of exercise of the warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the warrant; in either case, such holding period will not include the period during which the U.S. Holder held the warrant. If a warrant is allowed to lapse unexercised, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize a capital loss equal to such holder’s tax basis in the warrant.
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The tax consequences of a cashless exercise of a warrant are not clear under current law. Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a cashless exercise of a warrant may not be taxable, either because the exercise is not a realization event for United States federal income tax purposes or because the exercise is treated as a recapitalization for United States federal income tax purposes. In either situation, a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in a ordinary share received upon the cashless exercise of a warrant generally should equal the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the warrant. If a cashless exercise of a warrant is not a realization event, it is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary share received upon the cashless exercise of the warrant would be treated as commencing on the date of exercise of the warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the warrant; in either case, the holding period will not include the period during which the U.S. Holder held the warrant. If the cashless exercise of a warrant is treated as a recapitalization, the holding period of the ordinary shares received upon the cashless exercise of the warrant would include the holding period of the warrant.
It is also possible that a cashless exercise of a warrant could be treated in part as a taxable exchange in which gain or loss is recognized. In such event, a U.S. Holder could be deemed to have surrendered a number of warrants equal to the number of ordinary shares having a value equal to the exercise price for the total number of warrants exercised on a cashless basis. In such case, subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, the U.S. Holder would recognize capital gain or loss with respect to the warrants deemed surrendered in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the ordinary shares that would have been received in a regular exercise of the warrants deemed surrendered and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the warrants deemed surrendered. In this case, a U.S. Holder’s aggregate tax basis in the ordinary shares received would equal the sum of the U.S. Holder’s initial investment in the warrants deemed exercised (that is, the portion of the U.S. Holder’s purchase price for the units that is allocated to the warrants, as described above under “— Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) and the aggregate exercise price of such warrants. It is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares would commence on the date of exercise of the warrants or the day following the date of exercise of the warrants; in either case, the holding period will not include the period during which the U.S. Holder held the warrants.
Due to the absence of authority on the United States federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise of warrants, including when a U.S. Holder’s holding period would commence with respect to the ordinary share received pursuant to the cashless exercise of warrants, there can be no assurance regarding which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences and holding periods described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. Accordingly, U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of a cashless exercise of warrants.
Subject to the PFIC rules described below, if we redeem a U.S. Holder’s warrants for cash pursuant to the redemption provisions described in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Warrants — Public Shareholders’ Warrants” or if we purchase a U.S. Holder’s warrants in an open market transaction, such redemption or purchase generally will be treated as a taxable disposition to the U.S. Holder, taxed as described above under “— Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Ordinary Shares and Warrants.”
Possible Constructive Distributions
The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of ordinary shares for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events, as discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Warrants — Public Shareholders’ Warrants.” An adjustment which has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not taxable. The U.S. Holders of the warrants would, however, be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us if, for example, the adjustment increases such U.S. Holders’ proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (for example, through an increase in the number of ordinary shares that would be obtained upon exercise or through a decrease in the exercise price of the warrants), which adjustment may be made as a result of a distribution of cash or other property to the holders of our ordinary shares. Such constructive distribution to a U.S. Holder of warrants would be treated for United States federal income tax purposes as if such U.S. Holder had received a cash distribution from us generally equal to the fair market value of such increased interest (taxed as described above under “— Taxation of Distributions”).
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Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
A foreign corporation (that is, non-U.S. entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) will be classified as a PFIC for United States federal income tax purposes if either (i) at least 75% of its gross income in a taxable year, including its pro rata share of the gross income of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, is passive income (the “income test”) or (ii) at least 50% of its assets in a taxable year (ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year), including its pro rata share of the assets of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, are held for the production of, or produce, passive income (the “asset test”). Passive income generally includes, among other things, dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of assets giving rise to passive income.
Because we are a blank check company, with no current active business, we believe that it is likely that we will meet the asset test or income test for our current taxable year. However, pursuant to a startup exception, a corporation will not be a PFIC for the first taxable year that the corporation has gross income (the “startup year”), if (1) no predecessor of the corporation was a PFIC; (2) the corporation establishes to the satisfaction of the IRS that it will not be a PFIC for either of the first two taxable years following the startup year; and (3) the corporation is not in fact a PFIC for either of the first two taxable years following the startup year. The applicability of the startup exception to us is uncertain and will not be known until after the close of our current taxable year and, perhaps, until after the end of our two taxable years following our startup year. After the acquisition of a company or assets in a business combination, we may still meet one of the PFIC tests depending on the timing of the acquisition and the amount of our passive income and assets as well as the passive income and assets of the acquired business. If the company that we acquire in a business combination is a PFIC, then we will likely not qualify for the startup exception and will be a PFIC for our current taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year (and, if the startup exception is applicable to our current taxable year, perhaps until after the end of our two taxable years following our current taxable year). Accordingly, there can be no assurance with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any future taxable year. In addition, our U.S. counsel expresses no opinion with respect to our PFIC status for our current or future taxable years.
Although our PFIC status is determined annually, an initial determination that our company is a PFIC generally will apply for subsequent years to a U.S. Holder who held ordinary shares or warrants while we were a PFIC, whether or not we meet the test for PFIC status in those subsequent years. If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder of our ordinary shares or warrants and, in the case of our ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder did not make either a timely mark-to-market election or a qualified electing fund (“QEF”) election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder held (or was deemed to hold) ordinary shares, as described below, such U.S. Holder generally will be subject to special rules with respect to (i) any gain recognized by the U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of its ordinary shares or warrants (which may include gain realized by reason of transfers of ordinary shares or warrants that would otherwise qualify as nonrecognition transactions for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and (ii) any “excess distribution” made to the U.S. Holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. Holder during a taxable year of the U.S. Holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. Holder in respect of the ordinary shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. Holder or, if shorter, the portion of such U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares that preceded the taxable year of the distribution) (together, the “excess distribution rules”).
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Under these excess distribution rules:
● | the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares or warrants; |
● | the amount allocated to the U.S. Holder’s taxable year in which the U.S. Holder recognized the gain or received the excess distribution, or to the period in the U.S. Holder’s holding period before the first day of our first taxable year in which we are a PFIC, will be taxed as ordinary income; |
● | the amount allocated to other taxable years (or portions thereof) of the U.S. Holder and included in its holding period will be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. Holder without regard to the U.S. Holder’s other items of income and loss for such year; and |
● | an additional amount equal to the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the U.S. Holder with respect to the tax attributable to each such other taxable year of the U.S. Holder. |
In general, if we are determined to be a PFIC, a U.S. Holder may be able to avoid the excess distribution rules described above in respect to our ordinary shares (but under current law, not the warrants) by making a timely and valid QEF election (if eligible to do so) to include in income its pro rata share of our net capital gains (as long-term capital gain) and other earnings and profits (as ordinary income), on a current basis, in each case whether or not distributed, in the taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which or with which our taxable year ends. A U.S. Holder generally may make a separate election to defer the payment of taxes on undistributed income inclusions under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes will be subject to an interest charge.
If a U.S. Holder makes a QEF election with respect to its ordinary shares in a year after our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder held (or was deemed to hold) ordinary shares, then, notwithstanding such QEF election, the excess distribution rules discussed above, adjusted to take into account the current income inclusions resulting from the QEF election, will continue to apply with respect to such U.S. Holder’s ordinary shares, unless the U.S. Holder makes a purging election under the PFIC rules. Under one type of purging election, the U.S. Holder will be deemed to have sold such shares at their fair market value and any gain recognized on such deemed sale will be treated as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of such purging election, the U.S. Holder will have additional basis (to the extent of any gain recognized on the deemed sale) and, solely for purposes of the PFIC rules, a new holding period in the ordinary shares.
It is not entirely clear how various aspects of the PFIC rules apply to the warrants. However, under current law, a U.S. Holder may not make a QEF election with respect to its warrants to acquire our ordinary shares. As a result, if a U.S. Holder sells or otherwise disposes of such warrants (other than upon exercise of such warrants) and we were a PFIC at any time during the U.S. Holder’s holding period of such warrants, any gain recognized generally will be treated as an excess distribution, taxed as described above. If a U.S. Holder that exercises such warrants properly makes and maintains a QEF election with respect to the newly acquired ordinary shares (or has previously made a QEF election with respect to our ordinary shares), the QEF election will apply to the newly acquired ordinary shares. Notwithstanding such QEF election, the excess distribution rules discussed above, adjusted to take into account the current income inclusions resulting from the QEF election, will continue to apply with respect to such newly acquired ordinary shares (which, while not entirely clear, generally will be deemed to have a holding period for purposes of the PFIC rules that includes the period during which the U.S. Holder held the warrants exercised for such ordinary shares), unless the U.S. Holder makes a purging election under the PFIC rules. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of the rules governing purging elections to their particular circumstances.
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The QEF election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis and, once made, can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. A U.S. Holder generally makes a QEF election by attaching a completed IRS Form 8621 (Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund), including the information provided in a PFIC annual information statement, to a timely filed United States federal income tax return for the tax year to which the election relates. Retroactive QEF elections generally may be made only by filing a protective statement with such return and if certain other conditions are met or with the consent of the IRS. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a retroactive QEF election under their particular circumstances.
In order to comply with the requirements of a QEF election, a U.S. Holder must receive a PFIC annual information statement from us. If we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a QEF election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information. There also can be no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or of the required information to be provided.
If a U.S. Holder has made a valid QEF election with respect to our ordinary shares, and the excess distribution rules discussed above do not apply to such shares (because of a timely QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) such shares or a purge of the PFIC taint pursuant to a purging election, as described above), then any gain recognized on the sale of our ordinary shares or warrants, as applicable, generally will be taxable as capital gain and no additional interest charge will be imposed under the PFIC rules. As discussed above, if we are a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder of our ordinary shares that has made a valid QEF election will be currently taxed on its pro rata share of our earnings and profits, whether or not distributed for such year. A subsequent distribution of such earnings and profits that were previously included in a U.S. Holder’s income generally should not be taxable when distributed to such U.S. Holder. The tax basis of a U.S. Holder’s shares in a QEF will be increased by amounts that are included in income, and decreased by amounts distributed but not taxed as dividends, under the above rules. In addition, if we are not a PFIC for any taxable year, such U.S. Holder will not be subject to the QEF inclusion regime with respect to our ordinary shares for such a taxable year.
Alternatively, if a U.S. Holder, at the close of its taxable year, owns shares in a PFIC that are treated as “marketable stock”, the U.S. Holder may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such shares for such taxable year. If the U.S. Holder makes a valid mark-to-market election for the first taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) ordinary shares in us and for which we are determined to be a PFIC, then such U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to the excess distribution rules described above with respect to its ordinary shares. Instead, in general, the U.S. Holder will include as ordinary income in each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of its ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year over its adjusted basis in its ordinary shares. These amounts of ordinary income would not be eligible for the favorable tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income or long-term capital gains. The U.S. Holder also will recognize an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in its ordinary shares over the fair market value of its ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of previously included income as a result of the mark-to-market election). The U.S. Holder’s basis in its ordinary shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts, and any further gain recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition of its ordinary shares will be treated as ordinary income. Currently, a mark-to-market election may not be made with respect to warrants. The mark-to-market election is available only for stock that is regularly traded on a national securities exchange that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Nasdaq (on which we intend to list the ordinary shares), or on a foreign exchange or market that the IRS determines has rules sufficient to ensure that the market price represents a legitimate and sound fair market value. If made, a mark-to- market election would be effective for the taxable year for which the election was made and for all subsequent taxable years unless the ordinary shares ceased to qualify as “marketable stock” for purposes of the PFIC rules or the IRS consented to the revocation of the election. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a mark-to-market election in respect to our ordinary shares under their particular circumstances.
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If we are a PFIC and, at any time, have a foreign subsidiary that is classified as a PFIC (a “lower-tier PFIC”), then a U.S. Holder generally will be deemed to own a portion of the shares of such lower-tier PFIC, and generally could incur liability for the deferred tax and interest charge described above if we receive a distribution from, or dispose of all or part of our interest in, the lower-tier PFIC or if the U.S. Holder otherwise were deemed to have disposed of an interest in the lower-tier PFIC. Upon written request, we will endeavor to cause any lower-tier PFIC to provide to a U.S. Holder any information that may be required to make or maintain a QEF election with respect to the lower-tier PFIC. There can be no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of the status of any such lower-tier PFIC.
In addition, we may not hold a controlling interest in any such lower-tier PFIC and thus there can be no assurance we will be able to cause the lower-tier PFIC to provide such required information. A mark-to- market election generally would not be available with respect to such lower-tier PFIC. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax issues raised by lower-tier PFICs.
A U.S. Holder that owns (or is deemed to own) shares in a PFIC during any taxable year of the U.S. Holder may be required to file an IRS Form 8621 (whether or not a QEF or mark-to-market election is made) and provide to the IRS such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department. Failure to do so, if required, will extend the statute of limitations until such required information is furnished to the IRS.
The rules dealing with PFICs and with the QEF, purging, and mark-to-market elections are very complex and are affected by various factors in addition to those described above. Accordingly, U.S. Holders of our ordinary shares and warrants should consult their own tax advisors concerning the application of the PFIC rules to our ordinary shares and warrants under their particular circumstances.
Tax Reporting
Certain U.S. Holders may be required to file an IRS Form 926 (Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation) to report a transfer of property (including cash) to us. Substantial penalties may be imposed on a U.S. Holder that fails to comply with this reporting requirement, and the period of limitations on assessment and collection of United States federal income taxes will be extended in the event of a failure to comply. Furthermore, certain U.S. Holders who are individuals and certain entities will be required to report information with respect to such U.S. Holder’s investment in “specified foreign financial assets” on IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets), subject to certain exceptions. Specified foreign financial assets generally include any financial account maintained with a non-U.S. financial institution and should also include our units, ordinary shares and warrants if they are not held in an account maintained with a U.S. financial institution. Persons who are required to report specified foreign financial assets and fail to do so may be subject to substantial penalties, and the period of limitations on assessment and collection of United States federal income taxes may be extended in the event of a failure to comply. Prospective investors are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the foreign financial asset and other reporting obligations and their application to an investment in our units, ordinary shares and warrants.
Non-U.S. Holders
This section applies to you if you are a “Non-U.S. Holder.” As used herein, the term “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our units, ordinary shares or warrants that is for United States federal income tax purposes:
● | a non-resident alien individual (other than certain former citizens and residents of the United States subject to U.S. tax as expatriates); |
● | a foreign corporation; or |
● | an estate or trust that is not a U.S. Holder; |
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but generally does not include an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the disposition of our units, ordinary shares or warrants. If you are such an individual, you should consult your own tax advisor regarding the United States federal income tax consequences to you of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our securities.
Dividends (including, as described under “— U.S. Holders — Possible Constructive Distributions” above, constructive distributions treated as dividends) paid or deemed paid to a Non-U.S. Holder in respect of our ordinary shares generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax, unless the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such Non-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States). In addition, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax on any gain attributable to a sale or other disposition of our ordinary shares or warrants unless such gain is effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such Non-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States).
Dividends (including, as described under “— U.S. Holders — Possible Constructive Distributions” above, constructive distributions treated as dividends) and gains that are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States) generally will be subject to United States federal income tax at the same regular United States federal income tax rates applicable to a comparable U.S. Holder and, in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes, also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate.
The United States federal income tax treatment of a Non-U.S. Holder’s receipt of any ordinary share upon the exercise, or the lapse, of a warrant held by a Non-U.S. Holder generally will correspond to the United States federal income tax treatment of the receipt of a ordinary share on exercise, or lapse, of a warrant by a U.S. Holder, as described under “— U.S. Holders — Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant” above, although to the extent a cashless exercise results in a taxable exchange, the United States federal income tax consequences would be similar to those described in the preceding paragraphs above for a Non-U.S. Holder’s gain on the sale or other disposition of our ordinary shares and warrants.
The characterization for United States federal income tax purposes of the redemption of a Non-U.S. Holder’s ordinary shares or warrants generally will correspond to the United States federal income tax treatment of such a redemption of the U.S. Holder’s ordinary shares or warrants, as described under “U.S. Holders — Redemption of Ordinary Shares” or “— U.S. Holders — Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant” above, and the United States federal income tax consequences of the redemption to a Non-U.S. Holder generally will be as described in the paragraphs above under the heading “— Non-U.S. Holders” based on such characterization.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Dividend payments with respect to our ordinary shares and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption of our ordinary shares or warrants may be subject to information reporting to the IRS and possible United States backup withholding. Backup withholding will not apply, however, to a U.S. Holder who furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number and makes other required certifications, or who is otherwise exempt from backup withholding and establishes such exempt status. A Non-U.S. Holder generally will eliminate the requirement for information reporting and backup withholding by providing certification of its foreign status, under penalties of perjury, on a duly executed applicable IRS Form W-8 or by otherwise establishing an exemption.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against a holder’s United States federal income tax liability, and a holder generally may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules by timely filing the appropriate claim for refund with the IRS and furnishing any required information.
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CCM is acting as the representative of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement dated [●], 2025, each underwriter named below has severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to such underwriter, the number of units set forth opposite the underwriter’s name.
Underwriter | Number of Units |
|||
Cohen & Company Capital Markets | ||||
25,000,000 |
The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the units included in this offering are subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and to other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all of the units (other than those covered by the over-allotment option described below) if they purchase any of the units.
The offering of the units by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.
Pricing of the Offering
We have been advised by the underwriters that they propose to offer the units to the public at the initial offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The underwriters may allow dealers concessions not in excess of $[●] per unit and the dealers may re-allow a concession not in excess of $[●] per unit to other dealers. After the initial offering of the units, the representative may change the offering price and other selling terms in compliance with FINRA rules. The offering of the units by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part. Sales of any units outside the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.
Over-allotment Option
If the underwriters sell more units than the total number set forth in the table above, we have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 3,750,000 additional units at the public offering price less the underwriting discount. The underwriters may exercise this option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, in connection with this offering. To the extent the option is exercised, each underwriter must purchase a number of additional units approximately proportionate to that underwriter’s initial purchase commitment. Any units issued or sold under the option will be issued and sold on the same terms and conditions as the other units that are the subject of this offering.
Lock-up
We, our sponsor and our executive officers and directors have agreed that, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, we and they will not, without the prior written consent of the representative, (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge or grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to, any units, ordinary shares (including, but not limited to, founder shares), warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, ordinary shares owned by it, him or her, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any units, ordinary shares (including, but not limited to, founder shares), warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, ordinary shares owned by it, him or her, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii), subject to certain exceptions; provided, however, that we may (1) issue and sell the private placement warrants, (2) issue and sell the additional units to cover our underwriters’ over-allotment option (if any), or (3) issue securities in connection with a business combination, including any forward purchase shares. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors are also subject to separate transfer restrictions on their founder shares and private placement warrants pursuant to the letter agreement described herein.
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Our initial shareholders have agreed to the lock-up provisions that such securities are not transferable or salable (i) in the case of the founder shares, until the earlier of: (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination or (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last sale price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) in the case of the private placement warrants and the respective ordinary shares underlying such warrants, until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, in each case subject to certain exceptions or except with respect to certain permitted transferees as described herein under the section of this prospectus entitled “Principal Shareholders — Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants”.
The underwriters (and/or their designees) have also committed to purchase from us 3,750,000 private placement warrants at $1.00 per warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $3,750,000. The private placement warrants (including the underlying ordinary shares) will not be transferable, assignable or saleable until 30 days after the consummation of our initial business combination (except with respect to permitted transferees as described herein under “Principal Shareholders — Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants”). The purchase of the private placement warrants will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. Such private placement warrants will be considered underwriting compensation in connection with this offering. Such private placement warrants will be subject to lock-up restrictions, as required by FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1) and may not be sold during the offering, or sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part or commencement of sales of the offering, except as provided in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). The underwriters are entitled under the registration rights agreement to demand and “piggy-back” resale registration rights. The underwriters may not exercise its demand and “piggy-back” registration rights after five and seven years, respectively, after the commencement of sales in this offering and may not exercise its demand rights on more than one occasion.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our securities. Consequently, the initial public offering price for the units was determined by negotiations between us and the representative. The determination of our per unit offering price was more arbitrary than would typically be the case if we were an operating company. Among the factors considered in determining the initial public offering price were the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies, prior offerings of those companies, our management, our capital structure, and currently prevailing general conditions in equity securities markets, including current market valuations of publicly traded companies considered comparable to our company. We cannot assure you, however, that the price at which the units, ordinary shares or warrants will sell in the public market after this offering will not be lower than the initial public offering price or that an active trading market in our units, ordinary shares or warrants will develop and continue after this offering.
Listing
We intend to apply to list our units on Nasdaq, under the symbol “TACOU.” We expect that our units will be listed on Nasdaq commencing on or promptly after the date of this prospectus, and, once the ordinary shares and warrants begin separate trading, to have our ordinary shares and warrants listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “TACO” and “TACOW”, respectively. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq.
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Discounts
The following table shows the underwriting discounts and commissions that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection with this offering. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
Per Unit | Total | |||||||||||||||
Without |
With |
Without |
With |
|||||||||||||
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions paid by us(1) | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.60 | $ | $ |
(1) | Includes $0.20 per unit (excluding any units sold pursuant to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units), or $5,000,000 in the aggregate (whether or not the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units is exercised), payable to the underwriters upon the closing of this offering. Also includes up to $0.40 per unit, or up to $10,000,000 in the aggregate (or up to $11,500,000 if the overallotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters in this offering, for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States and released to the underwriters only upon the completion of an initial business combination. However, such deferred commissions shall be due solely from amounts remaining in the trust account following all properly submitted shareholder redemptions in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination and less any funds sourced by initial shareholders or any cash remaining in the trust pursuant to structured agreements such as forward purchase agreements, non-redemption agreements, any agreements or arrangements alike, or any other incentivization provided to the shareholders to not to redeem. |
If we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window and subsequently liquidate, the trustee and the underwriters have agreed that (i) they will forfeit any rights or claims to their deferred underwriting discounts and commissions, including any accrued interest thereon, then in the trust account upon liquidation, and (ii) that the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions will be distributed on a pro rata basis to the public shareholders.
Stabilization and Other Transactions
The underwriters pursuant to Regulation M under the Exchange Act, as amended, may engage in short sale transactions, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions or the imposition of penalty bids in connection with this offering. These activities may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market price of the units at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Establishing short sales positions may involve either “covered” short sales or “naked” short sales.
“Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units in this offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising the overallotment option or purchasing our units in the open market or from market participants. In determining the source of units to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of units available for purchase in the market as compared to the price at which they may purchase units through the overallotment option.
“Naked” short sales are sales in excess of the option to purchase additional units. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.
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A stabilizing bid is a bid for the purchase of units on behalf of the underwriters for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the price of the units. A syndicate covering transaction is the bid for or the purchase of units on behalf of the underwriters to reduce a short position incurred by the underwriters in connection with the offering. Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters’ purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our units or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our units. As a result, the price of our units may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. A penalty bid is an arrangement permitting the underwriters to reclaim the selling concession otherwise accruing to a syndicate member in connection with the offering if the units originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction and therefore have not been effectively placed by such syndicate member.
Neither we, nor any of the underwriters, make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our units. The underwriters are not obligated to engage in these activities and, if commenced, may end any of these activities at any time. These transactions may be effected on Nasdaq, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
We estimate that our portion of the total expenses of this offering payable by us will be $[●], excluding underwriting discounts and commissions. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of its out-of-pocket costs for this offering, including, but not limited to, fees of the underwriters’ legal counsel in an amount not exceed $100,000 in the aggregate.
We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.
Market Making
The underwriters have advised us that, following the completion of this offering, they currently intend to make a market in the units as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. However, the underwriters are not obligated to do so, and the underwriters may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without notice in their discretion. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the units, that you will be able to sell any of the units held by you at a particular time or that the prices that you receive when you sell will be favorable.
Other Terms
The underwriting agreement provides that following the completion of this offering, the obligations of the underwriters with respect to this offering will be deemed to be satisfied and the underwriters are not bound by any commitment or obligation to offer or sell to the public any of our securities or of any target business in an initial business combination or otherwise solicit holders of our securities or any target business in an initial business combination to approve the business combination.
We are not under any contractual obligation to engage any of the underwriters to provide any services for us after this offering, and have no present intent to do so. Additionally, any of the underwriters may introduce us to potential target businesses or assist us in raising additional capital in the future. If any of the underwriters provide services to us after this offering, we may pay such underwriter fair and reasonable fees that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters and no fees for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriters’ compensation in connection with this offering.
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Some of the underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include sales and trading, commercial and investment banking, advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, market making, brokerage and other financial and non-financial activities and services. Some of the underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates, including in connection with acting in an advisory capacity or as a potential financing source in conjunction with our potential acquisition of a company. They have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions.
In the ordinary course of their various business activities, some of the underwriters and their respective affiliates, officers, directors and employees may purchase, sell or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps and other financial instruments for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and trading activities may involve or relate to assets, securities and/or instruments of the issuer (directly, as collateral securing other obligations or otherwise) and/or persons and entities with relationships with the issuer. Some of the underwriters and their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such assets, securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they should acquire, long and/or short positions in such assets, securities and instruments.
Selling Restrictions
Canada
This prospectus constitutes an “exempt offering document” as defined in and for the purposes of applicable Canadian securities laws. No prospectus has been filed with any securities commission or similar regulatory authority in Canada in connection with the offer and sale of the securities. No securities commission or similar regulatory authority in Canada has reviewed or in any way passed upon this prospectus or on the merits of the securities and any representation to the contrary is an offence.
Canadian investors are advised that this prospectus has been prepared in reliance on section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33 – 105 Underwriting Conflicts (“NI 33 – 105”). Pursuant to section 3A.3 of NI 33 – 105, this prospectus is exempt from the requirement that the issuer and the underwriter(s) provide investors with certain conflicts of interest disclosure pertaining to “connected issuer” and/or “related issuer” relationships that may exist between the issuer and the underwriter(s) as would otherwise be required pursuant to subsection 2.1(1) of NI 33 – 105.
Resale Restrictions
The offer and sale of the securities in Canada is being made on a private placement basis only and is exempt from the requirement that the issuer prepares and files a prospectus under applicable Canadian securities laws. Any resale of the securities acquired by a Canadian investor in this offering must be made in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, which may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made in accordance with Canadian prospectus requirements, pursuant to a statutory exemption from the prospectus requirements, in a transaction exempt from the prospectus requirements or otherwise under a discretionary exemption from the prospectus requirements granted by the applicable local Canadian securities regulatory authority. These resale restrictions may under certain circumstances apply to resales of the securities outside of Canada.
Representations of Purchasers
Each Canadian investor who purchases the securities will be deemed to have represented to the issuer and the underwriter(s) that the investor (i) is purchasing the securities as principal, or is deemed to be purchasing as principal in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, for investment only and not with a view to resale or redistribution; (ii) is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 45 – 106 Prospectus Exemptions (“NI 45 – 106”) or, in Ontario, as such term is defined in section 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario); and (iii) is a “permitted client” as such term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 31 – 103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations.
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Taxation and Eligibility for Investment
Any discussion of taxation and related matters contained in this prospectus does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all of the tax considerations that may be relevant to a Canadian investor when deciding to purchase the securities and, in particular, does not address any Canadian tax considerations. No representation or warranty is hereby made as to the tax consequences to a resident, or deemed resident, of Canada of an investment in the securities or with respect to the eligibility of the securities for investment by such investor under relevant Canadian federal and provincial legislation and regulations.
Rights of Action for Damages or Rescission
Securities legislation in certain of the Canadian jurisdictions provides certain purchasers of securities pursuant to an offering memorandum (such as this prospectus), including where the distribution involves an “eligible foreign security” as such term is defined in Ontario Securities Commission Rule 45 – 501 Ontario Prospectus and Registration Exemptions and in Multilateral Instrument 45 – 107 Listing Representation and Statutory Rights of Action Disclosure Exemptions, as applicable, with a remedy for damages or rescission, or both, in addition to any other rights they may have at law, where the offering memorandum, or other offering document that constitutes an offering memorandum, and any amendment thereto, contains a “misrepresentation” as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws. These remedies, or notice with respect to these remedies, must be exercised or delivered, as the case may be, by the purchaser within the time limits prescribed under, and are subject to limitations and defences under, applicable Canadian securities legislation. In addition, these remedies are in addition to and without derogation from any other right or remedy available at law to the investor.
Language of Documents
Upon receipt of this document, each Canadian investor hereby confirms that it has expressly requested that all documents evidencing or relating in any way to the sale of the securities described herein (including for greater certainty any purchase confirmation or any notice) be drawn up in the English language only. Par la réception de ce document, chaque investisseur Canadien confirme par les présentes qu’il a expressément exigé que tous les documents faisant foi ou se rapportant de quelque manière que ce soit à la vente des valeurs mobilières décrites aux présentes (incluant, pour plus de certitude, toute confirmation d’achat ou tout avis) soient rédigés en anglais seulement.
Australia
This document does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Australia’s Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Corporations Act”) of Australia. This document has not been lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and is only directed to the categories of exempt persons set out below. Accordingly, if you receive this document in Australia:
You confirm and warrant that you are either:
● | a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act; | |
● | a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(c) or (d) of the Corporations Act and that you have provided an accountant’s certificate to the company which complies with the requirements of section 708(8)(c)(i) or (ii) of the Corporations Act and related regulations before the offer has been made; or | |
● | a “professional investor” within the meaning of section 708(11)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act. |
To the extent that you are unable to confirm or warrant that you are an exempt sophisticated investor or professional investor under the Corporations Act any offer made to you under this document is void and incapable of acceptance.
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You warrant and agree that you will not offer any of the shares issued to you pursuant to this document for resale in Australia within 12 months of those securities being issued unless any such resale offer is exempt from the requirement to issue a disclosure document under section 708 of the Corporations Act.
European Economic Area
In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area (each a “Member State”), no securities have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offer described herein in that Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that the securities may be offered to the public in that Member State at any time:
(i) | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation; | |
(ii) | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters for any such offer; or | |
(iii) | in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation, provided that no such offer of securities shall require the issuer or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation. |
Each person in a Member State who acquires any securities in the offer or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the issuer and the underwriters that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation.
In the case of any securities being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the issuer and the underwriters that the securities acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer to the public other than their offer or resale in a Member State to qualified investors, in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale. Neither the issuer nor the underwriters have authorised, nor do they authorise, the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by the underwriters which constitute the final placement of securities contemplated in this document.
The issuer and the underwriters and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any securities in any Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any securities, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
In Member States, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, persons who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation (“Qualified Investors”). This document must not be acted on or relied on in any Member State by persons who are not Qualified Investors. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available in any Member State only to Qualified Investors and will be engaged in only with such persons.
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Hong Kong
No securities have been, may be or will be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell shares or debentures, whether as principal or agent; or to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong (the “SFO”) and any rules made thereunder; or in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding UP and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong (the “C(WUMP)O”), or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the C(WUMP)O. No document, invitation or advertisement relating to the securities has been issued or may be issued or will be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the SFO and any rules made thereunder.
This document has not been and will not be registered with the Registrar of Companies in Hong Kong. Accordingly, this document may not be issued, circulated or distributed in Hong Kong, and the securities may not be offered for subscription to members of the public in Hong Kong. Each person acquiring the securities will be required, and is deemed by the acquisition of the securities, to confirm that he is aware of the restriction on offers of the securities described in this document and the relevant offering documents and that he is not acquiring, and has not been offered any securities in circumstances that contravene any such restrictions.
Japan
The offering has not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of 1948 of Japan, as amended) (the “FIEA”), and the Initial Purchaser will not offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means, unless otherwise provided herein, any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEA and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.
Singapore
This document has not been and will not be lodged or registered with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this document and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or the invitation for subscription or purchase of the securities may not be issued, circulated or distributed, nor may the securities be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person as defined under Section 275(2) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA and where (where applicable) Regulation 3 of the Securities and Futures (Classes of Investors) Regulations 2018, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of any other applicable provision of the SFA. In the event that you are not an investor falling within any of the categories set out above, please return this document immediately. You may not forward or circulate this document to any other person in Singapore.
No offer is made to you with a view to the securities being subsequently offered for sale to any other party. There are on-sale restrictions that may be applicable to investors who acquire securities. As such, investors are advised to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the SFA relating to resale restrictions and comply accordingly.
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Where the securities are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
● | a corporation (which is not an accredited investor as defined under Section 4A of the SFA) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or | |
● | a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each term as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the securities under Section 275 of the SFA except: | |
● | to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person pursuant to an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA; | |
● | where no consideration is given for the transfer; |
● | where the transfer is by operation of law; | |
● | as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or | |
● | as specified in Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Securities and Securities-based Derivatives Contracts) Regulations 2018 of Singapore. |
Switzerland
The securities may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the issuer or the securities have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of securities will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, or FINMA, and the offer of securities has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of securities.
Israel
This document does not constitute a prospectus under the Israeli Securities Law, 5728-1968, or the Securities Law, and has not been filed with or approved by the Israel Securities Authority. In the State of Israel, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer of the shares is directed only at, investors listed in the first addendum, or the Addendum, to the Israeli Securities Law, consisting primarily of joint investment in trust funds, provident funds, insurance companies, banks, portfolio managers, investment advisors, members of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, underwriters, venture capital funds, entities with equity in excess of NIS 50 million and “qualified individuals”, each as defined in the Addendum (as it may be amended from time to time), collectively referred to as qualified investors (in each case purchasing for their own account or, where permitted under the Addendum, for the accounts of their clients who are investors listed in the Addendum). Qualified investors will be required to submit written confirmation that they fall within the scope of the Addendum, are aware of the meaning of same and agree to it.
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United Kingdom
In relation to the United Kingdom, no securities have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offer described herein to the public in the United Kingdom prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, except that the securities may be offered to the public in the United Kingdom at any time:
(i) | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation; | |
(ii) | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters for any such offer; or | |
(iii) | in any other circumstances falling within Section 86 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) (the “FSMA”), |
provided that no such offer of the securities shall require the issuer or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Section 85 of the FSMA or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation.
Each person in the United Kingdom who acquires any securities in the offer or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the issuer and the underwriters that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation.
In the case of any securities being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the issuer and the underwriters that the securities acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer to the public other than their offer or resale in the United Kingdom to qualified investors, in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale. Neither the issuer nor the underwriters have authorised, nor do they authorise, the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by the underwriters which constitute the final placement of securities contemplated in this document.
The issuer and the underwriters and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the securities in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any securities and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of United Kingdom law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.
In the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, persons who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation who are also: (i) persons who fall within the definition of “investment professionals” in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”); (ii) persons falling within Article 49(2) of the Order; or (iii) persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This document must not be acted on or relied on in the United Kingdom by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available in the United Kingdom only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with such persons.
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Any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) may only be communicated or caused to be communicated in connection with the issue or sale of the securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. All applicable provisions of the FSMA and the Order must be complied with in respect of anything done by any person in relation to the securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
Cayman Islands
No offer or invitation, whether directly or indirectly, is being or may be made to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for any of our securities.
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White & Case LLP, New York, New York, is acting as counsel in connection with the registration of our securities under the Securities Act, and as such, will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus. Ogier (Cayman) LLP, Cayman Islands, will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus with respect to the ordinary shares and matter of Cayman Islands law. Loeb & Loeb LLP advised the underwriters in connection with the offering of the securities.
The financial statements of Berto Acquisition Corp. as of December 31, 2024 and for the period from July 15, 2024 (inception) through December 31, 2024, appearing in this prospectus have been audited by WithumSmith+Brown, PC, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and our securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are materially complete but may not include a description of all aspects of such contracts, agreements or other documents, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.
Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current event reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of
Berto Acquisition Corp.:
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Berto Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2024, and the related statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the period from July 15, 2024 (inception) through December 31, 2024, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2024, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from July 15, 2024 (inception) through December 31, 2024, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2024.
New York, New York
February 10, 2025
F-2
BALANCE SHEET
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Assets | ||||
Current assets: | ||||
Cash | $ | 34,044 | ||
Total current assets | 34,044 | |||
Deferred offering costs associated with proposed public offering | 400,000 | |||
Total Assets | $ | 434,044 | ||
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficit | ||||
Current liabilities: | ||||
Accounts payable | $ | 563,291 | ||
Accrued expenses | 400,000 | |||
Note payable - related party | 34,043 | |||
Total current liabilities | 997,334 | |||
Commitments and Contingencies | ||||
Shareholders’ Deficit | ||||
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | - | |||
Ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 550,000,000 shares authorized; 7,187,500 shares issued and outstanding (1) | 719 | |||
Additional paid-in capital | 174,281 | |||
Accumulated deficit | (738,290 | ) | ||
Total shareholders’ deficit | (563,290 | ) | ||
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficit | $ | 434,044 |
(1) | This number includes up to 937,500 ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters. |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-3
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT
OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JULY 15, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2024
General and administrative expenses | $ | 738,290 | ||
Net loss | $ | (738,290 | ) | |
Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding, basic and diluted (1) | 6,250,000 | |||
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share | $ | (0.12 | ) |
(1) | This number excludes an aggregate of up to 937,500 ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters. |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-4
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT
OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JULY 15, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2024
Additional | Total | |||||||||||||||||||
Ordinary Shares | Paid-in | Accumulated | Shareholders’ | |||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Deficit | ||||||||||||||||
Balance - July 15, 2024 (Inception) | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | |||||||||||
Issuance of ordinary shares to Sponsor, its affiliate and consultant (1) | 7,187,500 | 719 | 24,281 | - | 25,000 | |||||||||||||||
Stock based compensation expense | - | - | 150,000 | - | 150,000 | |||||||||||||||
Net loss | - | - | - | (738,290 | ) | (738,290 | ) | |||||||||||||
Balance - December 31, 2024 | 7,187,500 | $ | 719 | $ | 174,281 | $ | (738,290 | ) | $ | (563,290 | ) |
(1) | This number includes up to 937,500 ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters. |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-5
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT
OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JULY 15, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2024
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: | ||||
Net loss | $ | (738,290 | ) | |
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||
General and administrative expenses paid by Sponsor under promissory note | 24,999 | |||
Stock based compensation expense | 150,000 | |||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||
Accounts payable | 563,291 | |||
Net cash used in operating activities | - | |||
Cash Flows from Financing Activities: | ||||
Proceeds from note payable to related parties | 9,044 | |||
Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares to Sponsor, its affiliate and consultant | 25,000 | |||
Net cash provided by financing activities | 34,044 | |||
Net change in cash | 34,044 | |||
Cash - beginning of the period | - | |||
Cash - end of the period | $ | 34,044 | ||
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities: | ||||
Deferred offering costs included in accrued expenses | $ | 400,000 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-6
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Note 1 — Description of Organization and Business Operations
Organization and General
Berto Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on July 15, 2024 (the inception date). The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses that the Company has not yet identified (the “Initial Business Combination”). The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the “Securities Act”, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”).
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had not yet commenced operations. All activity for the period from July 15, 2024 (inception) through December 31, 2024 relates to the Company’s formation and the proposed initial public offering (“Proposed Public Offering”), which is described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its Initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Proposed Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s sponsor is Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company (the “Sponsor”).
Proposed Financing
The Company’s ability to commence operations is contingent upon obtaining adequate financial resources through the Proposed Public Offering (see Note 3) of 25,000,000 units (the “Units”) (or 28,750,000 Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at $10.00 per unit, and the sale of 7,750,000 Private Placement Warrants, irrespective of whether the overallotment is exercised, (of which the Sponsor and the underwriter of the Proposed Public Offering will purchase 4,000,000 and 3,750,000 Private Placement Warrants, respectively) (“Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Public Offering (see Note 4). Each Unit consists of one ordinary share (the “Public Shares”) and one-half of one redeemable warrant (the “Public Warrants”). Each whole warrant, when exercisable, entitles the holder thereof to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the Initial Business Combination (the “Exercise Price”), subject to adjustment as described herein.
Upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering and private placement, $250.0 million (or $287.5 million if the underwriters’ overallotment option is exercised in full) (see Note 3) will be held in a trust account (the “Trust Account”).
The Trust Account
The funds in the Trust Account will be held only (i) uninvested as cash, (ii) in an interest bearing bank demand deposit account or other accounts at a bank, or (iii) invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of one hundred eighty-five (185) days or less or in money market funds that meet certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and that invest only in direct U.S. government obligations. Funds will remain in the Trust Account until the earlier of (i) the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account proceeds as described below.
F-7
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
The Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, other than the permitted withdrawals (as defined below), if any, none of the funds held in the Trust Account will be released until the earlier of (i) the completion of the Initial Business Combination; (ii) the redemption of any Public Shares, that have been properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association not for the purpose of approving, or in conjunction with the consummation of, an Initial Business Combination (A) in a manner that would affect the substance or timing of its obligation to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if it does not complete an Initial Business Combination within the Combination Period (as defined below) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of the Public Shares or pre-Initial Business Combination activity; and (iii) absent an Initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, return of the funds held in the Trust Account to the Company’s public shareholders as part of the Company’s redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of law). The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could become subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of the holders of the Company’s Public Shares (the “Public Shareholders”).
Initial Business Combination
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Proposed Public Offering and the sale of Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds of the Proposed Public Offering are intended to be generally applied toward consummating an Initial Business Combination. The Initial Business Combination must occur with one or more businesses having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding any deferred underwriters fees and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the Initial Business Combination. However, the Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, there is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect an Initial Business Combination.
The Company provides Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholders’ meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require the Company to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then held in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of taxes paid or payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Public Shares.
These Public Shares are recorded at redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity” (“ASC 480”). The Company will proceed with a Business Combination if a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination, subject to applicable law.
The Sponsor, Consultant (as defined in Note 5), and any other holder of the Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) prior to the Proposed Public Offering (the “Initial Shareholders”), officers and directors, have entered into a letter agreement with the Company, pursuant to which they have agreed to vote in favor of the Initial Business Combination and waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares they hold and any Public Shares the sponsor, sponsor affiliates, officers and directors may acquire during or after this offering in connection with the completion of the Initial Business Combination.
The Company’s Charter also provides that a Public Shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% or more of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company.
F-8
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Pursuant to the Company’s memorandum and articles of association if the Company is unable to complete the Initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering (the “Combination Period”), the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of taxes and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish the holders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. The Sponsor, officers and directors, and any other holders of Founder Shares will not be entitled to rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Founder Shares (as defined below) held by them if the Company fails to complete the Initial Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsor, management team and holders of Founder Shares acquire Public Shares in or after the Proposed Public Offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such shares if the Company fails to complete the Initial Business Combination within the prescribed time period.
Risks and Uncertainties
The United States and global markets are experiencing volatility and disruption following the geopolitical instability resulting from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the recent escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict. In response to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (“NATO”) deployed additional military forces to eastern Europe, and the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other countries have announced various sanctions and restrictive actions against Russia, Belarus and related individuals and entities, including the removal of certain financial institutions from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) payment system. Certain countries, including the United States, have also provided and may continue to provide military aid or other assistance to Ukraine and to Israel, increasing geopolitical tensions among a number of nations. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the resulting measures that have been taken, and could be taken in the future, by NATO, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Israel and its neighboring states and other countries have created global security concerns that could have a lasting impact on regional and global economies. Although the length and impact of the ongoing conflicts are highly unpredictable, they could lead to market disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions and increased cyber-attacks against U.S. companies. Additionally, any resulting sanctions could adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and lead to instability and lack of liquidity in capital markets.
Any of the above-mentioned factors, or any other negative impact on the global economy, capital markets or other geopolitical conditions resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict and subsequent sanctions or related actions, could adversely affect the Company’s search for an initial business combination and any target business with which the Company may ultimately consummate an initial business combination.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had approximately $34,000 in cash and a working capital deficit of approximately $963,000. Further, the Company has incurred and expects to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of its financing and acquisition plans. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with ASC 205-40 - Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern”, as of December 31, 2024, management has determined that the Company’s current liquidity including access to funds from the Sponsor entity and the fact that the Sponsor agrees to make those funds available and has the financial wherewithal to provide such funds, is sufficient to fund the working capital needs of the Company until the earlier of the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering or a minimum of one year from the date of issuance of these financial statements.
F-9
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Emerging Growth Company
As an emerging growth company, the Company may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgement. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Deferred Offering Costs Associated with the Proposed Public Offering
The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99 and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5A — “Expenses of Offering.” Deferred offering costs consist principally of professional and registration fees that are related to the Proposed Public Offering. FASB ASC 470-20, “Debt with Conversion and Other Options,” addresses the allocation of proceeds from the issuance of convertible debt into its equity and debt components. The Company applies this guidance to allocate Proposed Public Offering proceeds from the Units between ordinary shares and warrants, using the residual method by allocating Proposed Public Offering proceeds first to assigned value of the warrants and then to the ordinary shares. Offering costs allocated to the ordinary shares will be charged to temporary equity offering costs allocated to the Public and Private Placement Warrants will be charged to shareholders’ equity and Public and Private Placement Warrants after management’s evaluation will be accounted for under equity treatment. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, will be charged to operations.
F-10
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under the FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). These tiers include:
● | Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets; |
● | Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and |
● | Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. In some circumstances, the inputs used to measure fair value might be categorized within different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In those instances, the fair value measurement is categorized in its entirety in the fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. |
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. For derivative financial instruments that are accounted for as liabilities, the derivative instrument is initially recorded at its fair value on the grant date and is then re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in the statement of operations. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity, is evaluated at the end of each reporting period. Derivative liabilities are classified in the balance sheet as current or non-current based on whether or not net cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the balance sheet date.
The underwriters’ over-allotment option is deemed to be a freestanding financial instrument indexed on the shares subject to redemption and will be accounted for as a liability pursuant to ASC 480 if not fully exercised at the time of the Proposed Public Offering.
Warrant Instruments
The Company will account for the Public and Private Warrants to be issued in connection with the Proposed Public Offering and the private placement in accordance with the guidance contained in FASB ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. Accordingly, the Company evaluated and will classify the warrant instruments under equity treatment at their assigned values. There are no Public or Private Warrants currently outstanding as of December 31, 2024.
F-11
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Stock Compensation
The Company’s policy is to account for stock-based compensation expense in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, “Compensation-Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”). Under ASC 718, stock-based compensation associated with equity awards is measured at fair value upon the grant date and recognized over the requisite service period. To the extent a stock-based award is subject to a performance condition, the amount of expense recorded in a given period, if any, reflects an assessment of the probability of achieving such performance condition, with compensation recognized once the event is deemed probable to occur. Forfeitures are recognized as incurred.
Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of December 31, 2024, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.
The Company is considered to be an exempted Cayman Islands company with no connection to any other taxable jurisdiction and is presently not subject to income taxes or income tax filing requirements in the Cayman Islands or the United States. As such, the Company’s tax provision was zero for the period presented.
Net Loss per Ordinary Share
Net loss per ordinary share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 937,500 Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 5). As of December 31, 2024, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per share is the same as basic loss per share for the period presented.
F-12
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Recent Accounting Standards
In November 2023, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, “Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures”. The amendments in this ASU expand public entities’ segment disclosures by requiring disclosure of significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker and included within each reported measure of segment profit or loss, an amount and description of its composition for other segment items, and interim disclosures of a reportable segment’s profit or loss and assets. The Company adopted ASU 2023-07, which did not have a material impact on the financial statements.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
Note 3 — Proposed Public Offering
Pursuant to the Proposed Public Offering, the Company intends to offer for sale up to 25,000,000 Units at a price of $10.00 per unit for a total of $250.0 million (or 28,750,000 Units at a price of $10.00 per unit for a total of $287.5 million if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). Each Unit consists of one Public Share and one-half of one warrant. Each whole Public Warrant, when exercisable, entitles the holder thereof to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an Initial Business Combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the Initial Business Combination, subject to adjustments (see Note 7).
The Company expects to grant the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 3,750,000 additional Units to cover any over-allotments at the Proposed Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. The Units that would be issued in connection with the over-allotment option would be identical to the Units issued in the Proposed Public Offering.
Note 4 — Private Placement
The Sponsor and the underwriter have committed to purchase an aggregate of 4,000,000 and 3,750,000 Private Placement Warrants, respectively, for a total of 7,750,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Public Offering. Each Private Warrant, when exercisable, entitles the holder to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an Initial Business Combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the Initial Business Combination, subject to adjustments. Each Private Placement Warrant will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of the Initial Business Combination and will expire after five years after completion of the Initial Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. If the Initial Business Combination is not completed within the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants held in the Trust Account will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law).
F-13
BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Note 5 — Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On November 11, 2024, the Sponsor and its affiliates purchased $23,957 for an aggregate of 6,887,500 ordinary shares (up to 937,500 of which will be surrendered to the Company for no consideration depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and a consultant, Meteora Capital LLC (the “Consultant” or “Meteora”) paid $1,043 for an aggregate of 300,000 ordinary shares (none of which are subject to forfeiture in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option). These 7,187,500 ordinary shares are referred herein as “Founder Shares”. Of these 7,187,500 Founder Shares, each of the Sponsor, Sponsor’s affiliates: Harry You and Robert You, and Meteora held 2,575,000 shares (of which 375,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option), 2,300,000 shares (of which 300,000 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option), 2,012,500 shares (of which 262,500 shares are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option) and 300,000 shares, respectively.
The Sponsor and its affiliates have agreed to forfeit up to an aggregate of 937,500 Founder Shares to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the underwriters so that the Founder Shares will represent 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Public Offering. If the Company increases or decreases the size of the offering, the Company will effect a share dividend or share surrender, as applicable, immediately prior to the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering in such amount as to maintain the Founder Share ownership of the Company’s shareholders prior to the Proposed Public Offering at 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering. The Sponsor will not be entitled to redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and any Public Shares held by the Sponsor in connection with the completion of the Initial Business Combination.
The Initial Shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of (A) one year after the completion of the Initial Business Combination, or (B) subsequent to the Initial Business Combination, if (x) the closing price of the ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period, provided such release shall not occur earlier than 150 days after the Initial Business Combination or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Registration Rights
The holders of Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants (and their underlying securities) and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans (the “Working Capital Loans”) (and their underlying securities), if any, and any ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Founder Shares and any ordinary shares held by the Initial Shareholders at the completion of the Proposed Public Offering or acquired prior to or in connection with the Initial Business Combination, will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of the registration statement for the Proposed Public Offering. These holders will be entitled to make up to three demands and have “piggyback” registration rights. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Administrative Support Agreement
Commencing on the date of the Proposed Public Offering, the Company will agree to reimburse the Sponsor or an affiliate thereof in an amount equal to $15,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of the Initial Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees. Payment for such administrative services to the Sponsor will be deferred and payable upon closing of a Business Combination and will only be paid out of funds remaining outside of Trust Account.
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BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
The Sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on the Company’s behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable Business Combinations. The Company may pay cash compensation to its independent directors for services rendered to the Company. Additionally, the Company may pay consulting, success, advisory, or finder’s fees to our sponsor, our officers or directors, our advisors, or affiliates thereof in connection with the consummation of the Initial Business Combination. The Company’s audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to the Sponsor, executive officers or directors, or the Company’s or their affiliates.
Related Party Loans
Promissory Note
The Company and the Sponsor entered into a loan agreement on August 23, 2024, which was later amended on December 31, 2024, whereby the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $300,000 to cover expenses related to the Proposed Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”). This loan is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of June 30, 2025, or the date on which the Company consummates the Proposed Public Offering. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had approximately $34,000 of borrowings under the Note.
Working Capital Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with its Initial Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes its Initial Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans. In the event that the Initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. If the Sponsor makes any Working Capital Loans, up to $1.5 million of such loans may be convertible into warrants of the post business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants and their underlying securities would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
Note 6 — Commitments and Contingencies
Underwriting Agreement
The Company granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to 3,750,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments at the Initial Public Offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions.
The underwriter will be entitled to (1) an upfront underwriting fee of $0.20 per unit, for an aggregate amount of $5.0 million (irrespective of the size of the Proposed Public Offering or exercise of the overallotment option) payable upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering and (2) a deferred underwriting fee of $0.40 per unit, for an aggregate amount of $10.0 million (or up to $11.5 million if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement and will be based on the amount of funds remaining in the Trust Account after shareholder redemptions of public shares in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, less funds sourced by Initial Shareholders, or any cash remaining in the trust pursuant to structured agreements such as forward purchase agreements, non-redemption agreements, any agreements or arrangements alike, or any other incentivization provided to the shareholders to not to redeem.
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BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
The underwriter (and/or its designees) have also committed to purchase 3,750,000 Private Placement Warrants at the price of $1.00 per warrant as discussed in Note 4).
Consulting Agreement
On November 11, 2024, the Company entered into a consulting agreement with Meteora, pursuant to which Meteora provided consulting, advisory and related services to Company with respect to general special purpose acquisition company structuring and capital markets matters.
The Company agreed to (i) sell 300,000 Founder Shares to Meteora for an aggregate purchase price of $1,043, and (ii) pay to Meteora a consulting fee of $500,000 payable upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. The Company estimated the fair value of such shares of $150,000 based on Monte Carlo simulation model and recognized stock-based compensation expenses for such services within Deferred Offering Costs in the accompanying balance sheet.
Note 7 — Shareholders’ Deficit
Preference Shares
The Company is authorized to issue 5,000,000 preferred shares with a par value of $0.001 per share with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. As of December 31, 2024, there were no preferred shares issued or outstanding.
Ordinary Shares
The Company is authorized to issue 550,000,000 ordinary shares with a par value of $0.001 per share. As of December 31, 2024, there was an aggregate of 7,187,500 shares issued and outstanding. Of these, up to an aggregate of 937,500 shares are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters so that the Founder Shares will represent 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Public Offering.
Ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Unless specified in our articles, or as required by applicable provisions of the Companies Act or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of our ordinary shares that are represented in person or by proxy and are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by our shareholders. Approval of certain actions will require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, passed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares which are represented in person or represented by proxy and are voted at a general meeting of the company, and pursuant to our articles; such actions include amending our articles and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. Our board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being appointed in each year. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the appointment of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voted for the appointment of directors can appoint all of the directors. Our shareholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor.
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BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Warrants
As of December 31, 2024, there were no Public Warrants or Private Placement Warrants outstanding. Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional Public Warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole Public Warrants will trade. The Public Warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination; provided that the Company has an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or the Company permits holders to exercise their Public Warrants on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act). The Company agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC have an effective registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed. If a registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of the initial Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the above, if the Company’s ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, require holders of Public Warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event the Company so elect, it will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, and in the event the Company does not so elect, it will use its best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
The warrants have an exercise price of $10.50 per share within the first 12 months following the closing of an initial business combination or $11.50 per share after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the initial Business Combination (the “exercise price”), subject to adjustments described herein. The warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of ordinary shares during the 20 trading-day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates its initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $10.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants will be non-redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants. With respect to any Private Placement Warrants held by the underwriter or its respective designees, such Private Placement Warrants will be subject to the lock-up and registration rights limitations imposed by FINRA Rule 5110 and will not be exercisable more than five (5) years from the commencement of sales in the Proposed Public Offering in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8).
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BERTO ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2024
Redemption of warrants for cash. Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described herein with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):
● | in whole and not in part; |
● | at a price of $0.01 per Public Warrant; |
● | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, referred to as the 30-day redemption period; and |
● | if, and only if, the closing price of the Public Shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
The Company will not redeem the warrants as described above for cash unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is then effective and a current prospectus relating to those ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities.
In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any warrant. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
If and when the warrants become redeemable by the Company, it may exercise the redemption right even if the Company is unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption for cash, as described above, the management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their Public Warrants on a “cashless basis,” the management will consider, among other factors, the Company’s cash position, the number of Public Warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on the shareholders of issuing the maximum number of ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Public Warrants.
Note 8 — Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after December 31, 2024, the balance sheet date, up to February 10, 2025, the date the financial statements were available to be issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment to or disclosure in the financial statements.
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25,000,000 Units
Berto Acquisition Corp.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
[●], 2025
Sole Book-Running Manager
Cohen & Company Capital Markets
Until [●], 2025 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade our units, public shares or public warrants, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person is authorized to give any information or make any representations in connection with this offering other than those contained in this prospectus and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security other than the securities offered by this prospectus, or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities by anyone in any jurisdiction in which the offer or solicitation is not authorized or is unlawful.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The estimated expenses payable by us in connection with the offering described in this registration statement (other than the underwriting discount and commissions) will be as follows:
Legal fees and expenses | $ | 400,000 | ||
Consulting fees | 500,000 | |||
Printing and engraving expenses | 15,000 | |||
Accounting fees and expenses | 70,000 | |||
SEC/FINRA Expenses | 113,125 | |||
Travel and road show expense | 20,000 | |||
Nasdaq listing and filing fees | 81,000 | |||
Miscellaneous | 20,875 | |||
Total | $ | 1,220,000 |
(1) | This amount represents the approximate amount of annual director and officer liability insurance premiums the registrant anticipates paying following the completion of its initial public offering and until it completes an initial business combination. |
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, willful neglect, actual fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our articles will provide for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect. We will purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
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Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
In November 2024, Berto Acquisition Sponsor LLC, our sponsor, and sponsor affiliates purchased an aggregate of 6,887,500 of our founder shares in exchange for a capital contribution of $23,956.52, and Meteora Capital LLC purchased an aggregate of 300,000 of our founder shares in exchange for a capital contribution of $1,043.48, each at an average purchase price of approximately $0.003 per share. Such securities were issued in connection with our organization pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of this offering would be a maximum of 28,750,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. Up to 937,500 of the founder shares held by our sponsor and sponsor affiliates will be forfeited depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised.
Our sponsor, sponsor affiliates and Meteora are each an accredited investor for purposes of Rule 501 of Regulation D. Each of the equity holders in our sponsor is an accredited investor under Rule 501 of Regulation D. The sole business of our sponsor is to act as the company’s sponsor in connection with this offering. The limited liability company agreement of our sponsor provides that its membership interests may only be transferred to our officers or directors or other persons affiliated with our sponsor, or in connection with estate planning transfers.
Our sponsor and the underwriters in this offering have committed to purchase an aggregate of 7,750,000 private placement warrants (including if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $1.00 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $7,750,000. Of the 7,750,000 private placement warrants, our sponsor has agreed to purchase 4,000,000 private placement warrants and the underwriters have agreed to purchase 3,750,000 private placement warrants. The private placement warrants will also be worthless if we do not complete our initial business combination. This purchase will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the completion of our initial public offering. This issuance will be made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
No underwriting discounts or commissions were or will be paid with respect to such sales.
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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) Exhibits. The following exhibits are being filed herewith:
EXHIBIT INDEX
* | To be filed by amendment. |
(b) Financial Statements. See page F-1 for an index to the financial statements and schedules included in the registration statement.
Item 17. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
(b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
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person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
(2) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post- effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(3) | For the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 of any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use. |
(4) | For the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of an undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
(i) | any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
(ii) | any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by an undersigned registrant; |
(iii) | the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
(iv) | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Las Vegas, State of Nevada on the 21st day of March, 2025.
Berto Acquisition Corp. | |||
By: | /s/ Harry L. You | ||
Name: | Harry L. You | ||
Title: | Executive Chairman and Interim Chief Financial Officer |
Each of the undersigned, whose signature appears below, hereby constitutes and appoints Harry L. You his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments including post-effective amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney- in-fact or his substitute, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name | Position | Date | ||
/s/ Harry L. You | Executive Chairman of the Board and Interim Chief Financial Officer | March 21, 2025 | ||
Harry L. You | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
/s/ Harry L. You | Executive Chairman of the Board and Interim Chief Financial Officer | March 21, 2025 | ||
Harry L. You | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
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AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 6(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned has signed this registration statement, solely in its capacity as the duly authorized representative of Berto Acquisition Corp., in Las Vegas, State of Nevada on the 21st day of March, 2025.
By: | /s/ Harry L. You | ||
Name: | Harry L. You | ||
Title: | Executive Chairman and Interim Chief Financial Officer |
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